TURKISH AND ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS’ THREE-HOUR MEETING FOCUSED ON ESTABLISHING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND OPENING BORDERS BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES

Azeri Press Agency
Nov 25 2008
Azerbaijan

Istanbul. Mayis Alizade – APA. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babajan
and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had three-hour meeting
in Four Seasons hotel in Istanbul in the evening on November 24.

Head of Turkish Foreign Ministry’s Executive Board and Armenian Deputy
Foreign Minister also attended the meeting. The meeting was closed to
media, APA’s Turkey bureau reports. Briefing the journalists after
the meeting Ali Babajan said they assessed the bilateral relations
between the countries.

"At the same time we discussed Caucasus Cooperation and Stability
Platform and other problems of the region," he said.

Regarding the meeting as effective and constructive Ali Babajan
underlined that the discussions had been held in positive atmosphere.

"Our relations will continue both on political and technical level in
the following the stage. Our aim is to fully normalize the relations
between the two countries. We will continue discussions for this
purpose," he said.

Edward Nalbandian also shared his counterpart’s views and said they had
very effective and constructive discussions with Ali Babajan. Armenian
Foreign Minister said they had decided to continue the efforts for
normalizing the relations between the two countries.

To the question of APA’s correspondent: "Honourable Minister, what can
you say about the opening of the borders?" Turkish Foreign Minister
Ali Babajan said: "We should catch the plane."

Armenian diplomatic sources told APA’s Turkey bureau that the
ministers’ meeting focused on establishing diplomatic relations and
opening borders between the two countries.