YEREVAN OPTIMISTIC OVER NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AFTER GUL’S VISIT

Interfax
Sept 8 2008
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s initiative to invite his Turkish
counterpart Abdullah Gul to Yerevan was an historic event, Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told journalists on Monday.

"The presidents by their actions passed the halfway mark to the
normalization of relations between the two countries. Diplomats should
pass the rest at the order of the presidents," Nalbandian said.

"The Armenian and Turkish presidents made a courageous and important
step. The initiative of the Armenian president to visit Gul to Yerevan
was an historic event. And the Turkish president by accepting this
invitation turned this into a joint initiative. The thing that the
presidents did is a good step to the normalization of our relations,"
the minister said.

The Turkish president visited Yerevan on September 6 at the invitation
of his Armenian counterpart. The two presidents attended a game
between their national soccer teams.

Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations. The Armenian- Turkish
border was closed in 1993 at Armenia’s initiative. The 1915 events in
the Ottoman Empire remain a stumbling block in the relations between
the two countries. The 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Turkey,
which, according to various sources, killed more than 1.5 million
people, was recognized by a number of nations. Armenia is seeking
recognition from Turkey, but has so far failed in its efforts.

Ankara, for its part, demands that the Karabakh conflict be resolved
on the basis of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.