TURKEY CONFIRMS TALKS WITH ARMENIA TO NORMALIZE TIES

Xinhua General News Service
April 7, 2009 Tuesday 9:41 PM EST

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan confirmed Tuesday that his
country has held talks with Armenia for months to normalize ties,
the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

The problems between Turkey and Armenia were discussed in detail
during this normalization process, Babacan told a press conference
following the Second Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations which
opened Monday in the largest Turkish city of Istanbul.

"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, " said Babacan.

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

Visiting U.S. President Barack Obama said after hour-long talks with
Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Ankara that he was encouraged by the
dialogues between Turkey and Armenia aimed to improve ties, promising
Washington will be as constructive as possible in this regard.

He said as Turkey and Armenia are having "serious negotiations" that
could bear fruit quickly, "I will be as encouraging as possible,"
adding the world should also encourage them.

Armenians claim that more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed in
a systematic genocide in the hands of the Ottomans during World War
I before modern Turkey was born in 1923.

But Turkey insists the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos
and governmental breakdown as the 600-year-old empire collapsed in
the years before 1923.