ARMENIA URGES TURKEY TO REOPEN BORDER
By Dorian Jones
Voice of America
Nov 24 2008
Efforts to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia have
taken another step forward with a visit to Istanbul by Armenia’s
foreign minister. The purpose of the visit is the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Committee, but the minister’s trip also provided him an
opportunity to meet with his Turkish counterpart. The two countries
have no diplomatic relations, but in the past month there have been
growing bilateral efforts to normalize ties. Dorian Jones reports
from Istanbul.
Speaking at a news conference, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard
Nalbandian urged Turkey to reopen its border with Armenia.
"Armenia is ready to re-establish diplomatic relations without any
preconditions and we are waiting [to see] from [the] Turkish side
the same approach," he said.
In 1993, Turkey closed its border with Armenia after Armenian forces
occupied territory of Turkey’s ally Azerbaijan during a war over
the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Ankara has made the
withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijan a key condition for
reopening the border.
Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian (L), is welcomed by his Turkish
counterpart Ali Babacan in Istanbul, 24 Nov 2008 Relations between
Turkey and Armenia remained frozen until last month, when Turkish
President Abdullah Gul accepted an invitation from his Armenian
counterpart Serge Sarkisian to watch Turkey play a World Cup football
qualifier in Yerevan. Since then there have been several diplomatic
meetings between the two countries.
Mr. Nalbandian said the opening of the border would facilitate the
resolution of problems.
"In the world there are many countries, many neighboring countries
having different problems to be solved," he said. "But they have
diplomatic relations, they have open borders, they are open to each
to other, and in this condition it is much easier to talk."
One major problem dogging Armenian-Turkish relations is
history. Armenia accuses Turkey of committing genocide against its
Armenian minority during World War I, a charge strongly denied by
Ankara. The Turkish government is calling for the dispute to be
resolved by a panel of historians, a call rejected by Yerevan.