TURKISH MINISTER NOTES PROGRESS IN TALKS WITH ARMENIA

Anadolu Agency
April 7 2009
Turkey

Istanbul, 7 April: Turkish foreign minister said [on] Tuesday [7 April]
that Turkey and Armenia have been in talks for months to normalize
relations and that the two countries have come a long way.

At a press conference after the Second Forum of the Alliance of
Civilizations in Istanbul, Ali Babacan said different problems between
Turkey and Armenia were discussed in detail in this normalization
process.

"We are working on a comprehensive solution and our talks are going
well. We have made significant progress so far and both parties have
declared satisfaction over the process several times," Babacan told
reporters.

"I think third countries should act sensitively during this ongoing
process," he said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are also holding talks to resolve the Upper
Karabakh dispute, Babacan recalled.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan met three times so far for a resolution.

Babacan said what Turkey aimed was peace, stability and prosperity
around Turkey.

"This is already the theme of the forum of the Alliance of
Civilizations," he said.