TURKISH FM TO VISIT ARMENIA

Interfax
March 2 2009
Russia

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will visit Armenia in April,
Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tigran Balayan told Interfax
on Monday.

"Babacan will visit Yerevan within the framework of a meeting of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) among other representatives of
the organization’s members. Armenia, as a chairman of the BSEC sent
invitations to all members of the structure," Balayan said.

Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations. The Armenian- Turkish
border was closed in 1993 at Armenia’s initiative. The 1915 events in
the Ottoman Empire remain a stumbling block in the relations between
the two countries. The so called 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman
Turkey, which according to various sources killed more than 1.5 million
people, has been recognized by a number of nations. Armenia is seeking
recognition from Turkey, but has so far failed in its efforts.

Ankara, for its part, demands that the Karabakh conflict be resolved
on the basis of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

The Turkish president visited Yerevan at the invitation of the Armenian
president last year. The Armenian president will return the visit
this October.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress