YEREVAN SAYS ARMENIA AND TURKEY CLOSE TO ESTABLISHING DIPLOMATIC TIES

Hurriyet
Jan 21 2009
Turkey

Armenia on Wednesday said it was "close" to establishing diplomatic
relations and opening borders with neighboring Turkey to end decades
of enmity.

"I share the opinion of my Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan that we
are close to establishing diplomatic relations and the opening of
borders," Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian was quoted by
AFP as telling reporters.

"We can make a new step forward if Turkey, like Armenia, accepts a
settlement without preliminary conditions."

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations 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 in relations when Turkish President Abdullah
Gul paid a landmark visit to Yerevan in September to watch a World Cup
qualifying football match between the two countries on the invitation
of his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan. The two countries have
been holding contacts at the minister level since.