TURKISH, ARMENIAN DIPLOMATS HELD SECRET TALKS IN SWITZERLAND?
PanARMENIAN.Net
8.07.2008 14:29 GMT+04:00
Turkey and Armenia held a series of secret meetings in the capital
of Switzerland on July 8, Hurriyet daily reported.
A high-level official from the Foreign Ministry headed the Turkish
delegation during the talks which led to a positive atmosphere between
the two countries, according to the report.
This meeting came after Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal
for "a fresh start" with the goal of normalizing relations with Turkey
and opening the border. Sargsyan also invited Turkish President
Abdullah Gul to watch a football match between the two country’s
national teams on Sept 6 to mark "a new symbolic start in the two
countries’ relations".
Turkish officials said the invitation has been evaluated and did not
rule out accepting it since it would not be an official visit.
Ertugrul Ozkok, editor-in-chief of Hurriyet daily, wrote in his column
that a high-level official from the foreign ministry confirmed the
report, but asked not to publish the story. "He told me that if the
story is published, then it would be formally denied," Ozkok wrote
in his column.
President Abdullah Gul’s attendance will depend on developments between
the two countries, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said earlier.