Armenia `expecting steps` from Turkey to restore ties
Armenia is expecting "practical steps" from Turkey
toward restoring strained relations between the two countries, a
local news agency quoted Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian as
saying.
"Agreements have been reached on the restoration of ties and the unconditional opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey," Nalbandian claimed during a news conference on Friday. "If Turkey is ready to enforce these agreements, we may applaud this and await further practical steps."
According to the Armenian minister, dialog between Yerevan and Ankara did not simply begin without a purpose. The two countries are holding substantial talks, and this new stage was launched in September 2008. Nalbandian added that the two countries had reached certain agreements this spring on normalizing bilateral relations and re-opening their shared border without any pre-conditions.
Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations due to Armenia`s occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, Turkey`s ally, and Yerevan`s claims about alleged World War I-era genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Signs of a warming in Turkish-Armenian relations appeared after the Turkish leader briefly visited Armenia in September 2008. Further, the two governments agreed to a "road map" this past April to normalize relations.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza has said the process of normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia is underway, simultaneously with the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border will not be the first, but the final step in this direction. Bryza, who is one of the diplomats working to negotiate a solution to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh problem through the OSCE Minsk Group, told Turkey`s Today`s Zaman newspaper that the border opening is possible only after Ankara and Yerevan have agreed to all other outstanding issues.
"Agreements have been reached on the restoration of ties and the unconditional opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey," Nalbandian claimed during a news conference on Friday. "If Turkey is ready to enforce these agreements, we may applaud this and await further practical steps."
According to the Armenian minister, dialog between Yerevan and Ankara did not simply begin without a purpose. The two countries are holding substantial talks, and this new stage was launched in September 2008. Nalbandian added that the two countries had reached certain agreements this spring on normalizing bilateral relations and re-opening their shared border without any pre-conditions.
Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations due to Armenia`s occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, Turkey`s ally, and Yerevan`s claims about alleged World War I-era genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Signs of a warming in Turkish-Armenian relations appeared after the Turkish leader briefly visited Armenia in September 2008. Further, the two governments agreed to a "road map" this past April to normalize relations.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza has said the process of normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia is underway, simultaneously with the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border will not be the first, but the final step in this direction. Bryza, who is one of the diplomats working to negotiate a solution to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh problem through the OSCE Minsk Group, told Turkey`s Today`s Zaman newspaper that the border opening is possible only after Ankara and Yerevan have agreed to all other outstanding issues.
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