PROGRESS MADE IN TALKS WITH ARMENIA, SAYS FM

Hurriyet
Feb 9 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday said talks to
normalize relations with Armenia had advanced during a meeting with
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian in Munich over the weekend.

"We have a platform where we discuss our bilateral problems," Babacan
said at a press conference in Germany, where he attended the 45th
Munich Security Conference, reported the Anatolia News Agency.

"We made progress in talks on how to normalize relations," he said,
referring to the meeting with Sarkisian, who was accompanied by
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Recent talks between Armenia and Turkey were the most important and
intensive since World War I, said Babacan, adding he was warm to the
possible contribution of third parties in the process. Sarkisian on
his part, said important developments could happen in Turkish-Armenian
relations in the second half of the year, the agency reported. Armenia
aimed at improving cooperation with all regional countries to make
southern Caucasus an alternate route of transportation, he added.

Babacan also said that NATO and the European Union could succeed
in creating common values and ideals in the Balkan countries where
different religious faiths and cultures co-existed.

"The EU should pursue an opening policy towards the Balkans. We
support Serbia’s membership to the EU. Macedonia should become a
member of NATO as soon as possible," he said at a panel discussion.