TURKISH FM SEES "PROGRESS" IN EVERY ARMENIA TALKS

Nov 26 2008
Turkey

Turkish foreign minister cited "progress" in what he described as
"a busy diplomacy traffic" with Turkey’s eastern neighbor Armenia.

"We have been moving ahead and making progress with Armenia each time
we talk to each other, and I hope talks between both Azerbaijan and
Armenia, and Turkey and Armenia could produce certain results in a
reasonable time," Ali Babacan told reporters before departing from
the Turkish capital for a tour Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Babacan said his contacts with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian also went well, adding that Turkish, Azeri and Armenian
ministers might come together during a meeting of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe next week in Helsinki.

"Our goal is to fully normalize relations between the countries of
the region and our efforts for a stability platform in the Caucasus
are continuing," he said.

Responding to a question on a visit of a European Parliament group
in Ankara on Tuesday, Babacan said the European Union wanted Turkey
to continue with the reforms process.

"And we want the EU not to come up with issues which do not have
anything to do with our negotiations and put them as obstacles before
us," Babacan said.