ARMENIA’S OPPOSITION LEADER BACKS EFFORTS TO MEND TURKEY RELATIONS

Hurriyet
May 1 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – Armenia’s former president, opposition leader Levon
Ter-Petrosian said Friday that his party would back reconciliation
efforts to mend the country’s ties with Turkey.

Ter-Petrosian was quoted by AFP as telling about 3,500 supporters
at a rally in central Yerevan that his Armenian National Congress
"is in favor of the soonest settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations
and is ready to support all positive steps."

Turkey and Armenia, under Switzerland’s mediation, agreed last week
on a "road map" deal for talks that could lead to the normalizing of
ties and the opening of their border.

Ankara cut diplomatic links with Yerevan and closed the border in a
show of support to Azerbaijan in 1993 after 20 percent of its territory
was invaded by Armenia in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The efforts at reconciliation are facing opposition from nationalists
on both sides and an Armenian nationalist party quit the country’s
ruling coalition last month over the deal.

Ter-Petrosian remains highly influential in Armenia, where he was
president from its 1991 independence from the Soviet Union until 1998.

He came second to President Serzh Sargsyan in a presidential election
last year, which opposition supporters allege was rigged.

Ten people were killed in clashes between riot police and
Ter-Petrosians supporters after the vote.

Ter-Petrosian has announced he will run in a May 31 vote to choose
a new mayor of Yerevan.