TURKEY-ARMENIA HOSTILITY THAWS AFTER 100 YEARS
PRESS TV
Sept 2 2009
Iran
Turkey and Armenia have agreed on a protocol which could result in
reopening of the border between the two long-time foes by the end of
the year.
The two countries have announced that they would sign accords within
six weeks under a plan to end a century of hostility.
According to an unofficial translation of the protocol released by the
Turkish Foreign Ministry, the two countries have agreed to establish
ties in various areas.
Turkey and Armenia have also agreed to support each other in
international bodies, including the United Nations.
Ankara and Yerevan have agreed to open the Turkey-Armenia border
within two months after the implementation of the protocol, Turkey’s
Yenisafak newspaper reported.
"If everything goes as planned, if mutual steps are taken, the borders
could be opened around New Year," Reuters quoted Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu as saying.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with Muslim
ally Azerbaijan, which was fighting Armenian-backed separatists in
the breakaway mountain region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenians also accuse Turkey of committing a massacre against 1.5
million of their kin between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was
falling apart.
Turkey rejects Armenian claims that the killings amounted to
"genocide", and says many people were killed on both sides of the
conflict.
The thaw in relations between Turkey and Armenia seems to have worried
Azerbaijan, which may feel it is losing its traditional supporter,
Turkey.
Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry spokesman Elhan Polukhov has said that
any Turkish move to open its border with Armenia before "the Armenian
occupation of the Azerbaijani territory" is over would be contrary
to the national interests of Azerbaijan.