AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
October 12, 2009 Monday

YEREVAN THANKS MOSCOW FOR AIDING TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has thanked Russia for facilitating
his countrys rapprochement with Turkey. He said in a meeting with his
Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, in Gorki, near Moscow, on Monday
that I would like to thank the Russian leadership, and you, in
particular, for your support to the development of our relations with
the Republic of Turkey. The fact that the Russian foreign minister was
present at the ceremony of signing protocols in Zurich on October 10
was another example of Russias paying attention to the security of the
South Caucasus, Sarkisian said. Armenia and Turkey have been at odds
for decades due to Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territory and
Yerevans claims on the World War I-era genocide. On August 31, Ankara
and Yerevan agreed to start domestic consultations on forging
diplomatic ties and developing bilateral relations. On Saturday, two
protocols — which ultimately seek to open the Turkish-Armenian border
— were signed. The parliaments of Armenia and Turkey need to ratify
the documents for them to be valid. The Armenian leader is visiting
Russia on his counterparts invitation. The two presidents talks are
said to be focusing on economic and military cooperation and the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict.