TURKS AND ARMENIANS TO REBUILD HISTORIC BRIDGE ON BORDER

Hurriyet
Feb 28 2010
Turkey

Turkey and Armenia are cooperating to reconstruct a 10th-century
bridge on the Arpacay River despite the faltering of the process of
political reconciliation between the two countries.

The Arpacay River establishes the border between Turkey and Armenia;
the ruined bridge that once spanned it had one foot in each country.

The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey, or TEPAV, initiated
the effort to reconstruct the bridge, which is on the historic Silk
Road. The project is supported by both Turkish President Abdullah
Gul and the Yerevan administration, and is said to be looked upon
favorably by members of the Armenian diaspora as well.

Built by the Armenian Kingdom, the defunct bridge connotes the lack
of economic and political ties between the two countries, but its
reconstruction could symbolize a new era in bilateral relations.

TEPAV President Guven Sak first approached Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sarkisian and Deputy Culture Minister Arev Samelyan about
the project. Gul, who has been interested in the effort since he was
first informed about it in February 2009, was briefed on the current
situation Friday following the visit of a TEPAV delegation to Yerevan.

According to TEPAV officials, there is an urgent need to have a set
of creative and genuine confidence-building steps in the relationship
between Turkey and Armenia.

"It is important to strengthen the momentum. The positive impact of
the political reconciliation on society should be reinforced," said
one official from TEPAV, which has also been active in projects to
bring Palestinians and Israelis together. "Symbolic steps will give
visibility to the political will. These steps should increase the
contacts between the two peoples and enable them to open the borders
in their mentalities."

Such steps should also aim at preparing the economic infrastructure
of the South Caucasus, the official added.

Turkey previously restored the Armenian church in Akdamar Lake, near
the eastern city of Van, as well as some of the historical buildings
near Kars. Armenia, however, did not participate in those efforts