ARMENIA AND TURKEY MUST ELIMINATE OBSTACLES HAMPERING THEIR TRADE

ARKA
Oct 19, 2009

YEREVAN, October 19, /ARKA/. Armenia and Turkey should eliminate all
obstacles that can hamper development of their relations, Armenian
Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said in a last Thursday televised
interview.

"Normal economic relations with its neighbor would benefit not only
Armenia but Turkey too. Therefore, all obstacles that can hamper this
should be removed,’ he said.

The two neighbouring countries have no diplomatic ties, the border
is closed since 1993 and there is a history of animosity that stems
from the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire.

According to the Armenian prime minister, closed borders in the 21-st
century are ‘nonsense’ because they deter normal economic development.

He said this is well known both in Armenia and Turkey.

On October 10 Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, and Edward
Nalbandian, his Armenian counterpart signed two protocols in Zurich,
Switzerland on establishment of diplomatic relations and development
of bilateral ties. The protocols will still need ratification by
their respective parliaments.