Interfax News Agency, Russia
May 24 2008

ARMENIA WISHES TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH TURKEY – PRESIDENT

Armenia wants to develop cooperation with the United States and to
normalize relations with its neighbors, Turkey among them, President
Serzh Sargsyan told representatives of the American Jewish Committee
(AJC) in Yerevan on Thursday.

"We view the deepening of our relations [between Armenia and the
United States] as the token of economic success, democratic
development and regional stability," the presidential press office
quoted Sargsyan to Interfax.

"Armenia also wants to normalize relations with neighbors. It has many
times called for restoring relations with Turkey without
preconditions," he said.

Ambassador Peter Rosenblatt said they had profound knowledge of the
South Caucasus and were closely watching regional developments.

The delegation of the AJC, a leading Jewish lobbying organization in
the United States, is visiting Yerevan to discuss the Armenian-
Turkish relations.

AJC Strategic Research Director Barry Jacobs and Executive Director of
the American-Armenian Public Committee Ross Vartanian also attended
the meeting.