SYRIA OFFERS TO HELP ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT

Agence France Presse
March 22, 2010 Monday 8:38 PM GMT

President Bashar al-Assad on Monday offered Syria’s help in
establishing cordial relations between Armenia and Turkey for the
sake of regional security and stability.

"Syria is ready to play a role… for the establishment of
Turkish-Armenian relations that can ensure normal stability and
security in the region," Assad told a joint news conference with
Armenian counterpart Serge Sarkissian.

"I think… officials in Armenia have given us their full confidence,
which is why we are starting immediate steps, especially since
President Sarkissian encouraged us" to do so, he said.

Assad praised Yerevan’s decision to normalise its relations with
Turkey despite "many difficulties."

Sarkissian, who is in Syria until Wednesday, said his country supported
"peaceful solutions and dialogue to resolve the dispute…

without questioning and forgeting its history."

Long divided over the issue of mass killings of Armenians under the
Ottoman empire in World War I, Ankara and Yerevan signed an accord
in October to establish diplomatic ties and open their border.

The process has hit snags however, with both countries accusing each
other of lacking commitment to the deal.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin perished in a systematic
extermination campaign during World War I as the Ottoman empire
fell apart.

Turkey counters between 300,000 and 500,000 Armenians and at least as
many Turks were killed in civil strife when Armenians rose up against
their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian forces.