TURKEY-ARMENIA MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE: TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER

Trend News Agency
Nov 25 2008
Azerbaijan

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said meetings between Turkey
and Armenia will continue, Timeturk news agency of Turkey reported.

After the meeting with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandyan,
Babacan said to media that the meeting was held in a positive
atmosphere and meetings between the two countries on political and
technical issues will continue. Babacan said the meetings aim at fully
normalizing relations between the two countries and they will continue
with strong political will until they achieve their goal. Nalbandyan
also said they will continue efforts to normalize ties.

Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 because
of Armenia’s false "genocide" claims and occupation of 20% of
Azerbaijani lands. Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Yerevan
on September 6, 2008 at the invitation of his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sarkisyan to watch Armenia-Turkey football match within the
European Cup. Efforts have been made since then to normalize ties
between the two countries. The last bilateral meeting between Armenian
and Turkish officials took place on November 24 between Turkish and
Armenian foreign ministers within the meeting of foreign ministers of
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) held in Turkey.