DAVUTOGLU, MAMMADYAROV DISCUSS TURKISH-ARMENIAN TIES

AssA-Irada
September 3, 2009 Thursday
Azerbaijan

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has informed Azerbaijani
counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov during a phone conversation about
this weeks agreement his country reached with Armenia to start
consultations on ways of normalizing relations, reports say. Turkeys
Haber 7 TV channel reported that Davutoglu, who was on a visit to
Egypt, had taken a break in his meetings to call Mammadyarov. Ankara
and Yerevan on Monday agreed to start consultations on forging
diplomatic ties and developing bilateral relations, announcing a
six-week timeframe for finalizing two protocols, which ultimately
envision opening the Turkish-Armenian border that remains shut
over historic differences. According to Turkish foreign ministry
officials, the Azerbaijani minister neither opposed efforts by Turkey
and Armenia to forge diplomatic ties nor stated Bakus disagreement
in this regard. Turkeys influential Hurriyet newspaper reported that
Davutoglu had reiterated Ankaras assurances during the discussions,
saying we will not take any steps hurting Azerbaijan. Turkey closed
its border with Armenia in 1993 due to Armenian occupation of the
territories of Azerbaijan, Turkeys ally, and Yerevans claims on
the alleged World War I-era genocide. The governments of Turkey and
Armenia agreed a roadmap in April but Monday’s verbal agreements are
considered the first real move toward reaching that goal.