RICE, ARMENIAN FM TABLE GARABAGH

AssA-Irada
July 15, 2008 Tuesday
Azerbaijan

The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh
was discussed at a meeting of Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard
Nalbandian visiting the United States with Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice. The two highly assessed the efforts being made
toward the conflict resolution by the mediating OSCE Minsk Group,
which is co-chaired by the U.S., Russia and France. Nalbandian and
Rice also mooted issues concerning normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations. The Armenian minister said his country was interested in
forging diplomatic ties with Turkey and opening the border between
the two countries. He spoke of the steps taken by Yerevan in this
direction, citing as an example President Serzh Sarkisians recent
article published in US media. Armenia and Turkey have been at odds
and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993
on Ankaras insistence due to Armenias policy of occupation against
Azerbaijan, its lobbying for the recognition of the alleged Armenian
genocide and territorial claims against Turkey. Nalbandian also said
during the high-level talks that Armenia has received assistance worth
$1.9 billion from the U.S. since gaining independence after the Soviet
collapse. He added that the South Caucasus republic was attaching
great importance to deepening its relations with Washington. The two
countries also signed an agreement on cooperation in countering the
smuggling of nuclear and radioactive materials to Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress