ARMENIAN, TURKISH MINISTERS DISCUSS BILATERAL TIES

Interfax
Dec 5 2008
Russia

Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart
Ali Babacan discussed relations between the two countries at a meeting
in Helsinki on Thursday, an Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman
told Interfax.

"The foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey met in Helsinki on
December 4. At their meeting, the parties continued negotiations
intended to help straighten out the Armenian-Turkish relationship,"
the spokesman said.

Nalbandian and Babacan agreed to continue such meetings.

Armenia and Turkey still have no diplomatic relations because of events
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, when, according to varying reports,
more than 1.5 million people were killed. A number of countries have
recognized the events as an instance of genocide against the Armenian
people in the Ottoman Empire.

Armenia has been pressing for Turkey’s recognition of the genocide, but
the authorities in Ankara have refused to do so. They, for their part,
insist on finding a solution to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
that would help preserve Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

The Turkish president came to Yerevan at the invitation of his
Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsian on September 6. The Armenian
leader is expected to visit Turkey in October 2009.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress