DIPLOMACY RULES – TURKEY AND ARMENIA SIGN HISTORIC PROTOCOLS

Jane’s Intelligence
r/jir091111_1_n.shtml
Nov 11 2009

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey signed a series of
protocols on 10 October, marking a historic breakthrough in relations
between the two states.

The mundane titles of the agreements – the Protocol on the
establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia
and Republic of Turkey and the Protocol on the development of relations
– belie the historic nature of the accord between the two states,
which have never established formal diplomatic relations.

The agreements are a culmination of a series of contacts that began
with Armenian President Sergh Sarkisian invitating Turkish President
Abdullah Gul to visit Yerevan for a football World Cup qualifying
match between the two national teams in September 2008. Six months
later, the presidents instructed their foreign ministers to develop
a bilateral agreement.