YEREVAN SAYS OPENING BORDER WITH TURKEY NOT A FAVOR TO ARMENIA

Hurriyet
Nov 25 2008
Turkey

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday establishing diplomatic
relations and opening borders between Turkey and Armenia must not be
considered as a favor to be given to Armenia. (UPDATED)

Resolving the dispute between Armenia and Turkey is in the interests
of both countries, the ministry said in a statement issued after a
rare meeting between Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian and
his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan in Istanbul.

"The full-scale settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations is in the
interests of the two countries and the two peoples," the statement
said.

"Dialogue between Armenia and Turkey is aimed particularly at
establishing diplomatic relations and at opening borders. This must
not be considered as a favor to be given to Armenia because this is
of no less interest to Turkey," it added.

Nalbandian was in Turkey for a one-day visit to the headquarters of
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation group, whose rotating six-month
presidency Armenia took over on Nov. 1, and talks with Babacan.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and their border has been
closed for more than a decade, as Armenia presses the international
community to admit the so-called "genocide" claims instead of accepting
Turkey’s call to investigate the allegations, and Armenia’s invasion
of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan.

A warmer period began the two countries began after Turkish President
Abdullah Gul paid a landmark visit to Yerevan in September on the
occasion of a Turkish-Armenian World Cup football qualifying match.

Turkey and Armenia aim to totally normalize bilateral relations,
Babacan told reporters Monday following his meeting with Nalbandian.

Babacan told reporters he discussed with Nalbandian bilateral
relations, the establishment of a cooperation and stability platform
in the Caucasus, and regional problems, after the meeting that lasted
more than two hours.

Monday’s meeting between the ministers was fruitful and constructive,
Babacan was quoted by the Anatolian Agency as saying, adding that the
two countries would continue their political and technical contacts
in the coming days.

Nalbandian departed from Turkey late on Monday.