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Turkey, Armenia Agree To Establish Diplomatic Ties

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  • Turkey, Armenia Agree To Establish Diplomatic Ties

    TURKEY, ARMENIA AGREE TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC TIES
    By Suzan Fraser

    Associated Press Writer
    31, 2009 07:33 PM

    ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Armenia and Turkey agreed Monday to establish
    diplomatic relations, overcoming a seemingly intractable rift that
    dates to the early 20th century and was marked by massacres of
    Armenians under Ottoman rule.

    The neighboring countries will be setting up and developing relations
    for the first time, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin
    said. It is unclear, however, if the talks will touch on the dispute
    over the World War I-era killings.

    The issue is a major stumbling block to Turkey's aspirations to
    join the European Union and has strained ties with the United
    States. Historians estimate that, in the last days of the Ottoman
    Empire, up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks in
    what is widely regarded as the first genocide of the 20th Century.

    Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, contending the
    toll has been inflated and that the casualties were victims of civil
    war. It says Turks also suffered losses in the hands of Armenian gangs.

    Turkey and Armenia also disagree about Armenian forces' control
    of the Arzerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey is a close
    ally of Azerbaijan and back Baku's claims to the region, which has
    a high number of ethnic Armenian residents but is located within
    Azerbaijan's borders.

    Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Armenia's
    independence in 1991, but the two countries never established
    diplomatic relations and their joint border has been closed since 1993.

    Ties began to improve after a so-called soccer diplomacy campaign
    last year, when Turkish President Abdullah Gul attended a World Cup
    qualifier in Armenia.

    Armenia's President Serge Sarkisian has said he wants significant
    progress on reopening their shared border before he will agree to
    attend a World Cup qualifying match in Turkey on Oct. 14.

    The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the upcoming talks, agreed to after
    mediation by Switzerland, should last about six weeks.

    Armenian political commentator Artyom Yerkanian, speaking during a
    special TV broadcast, suggested the agreement to establish ties could
    be signed at the October soccer match.

    French President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed the announcement, saying
    in a statement that "normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey
    wouldconstitute an event of historic import that would contribute to
    regional stability." Sarkozy opposes Turkey's entry into the EU.

    Establishing ties with Armenia is important for Turkey - a country
    that is playing an ever increasing role as a regional mediator and
    powerbroker.

    Turkey has mediated indirect talks between Syria and Israel, and
    hosted Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as well as EU leaders
    separately for talks on proposed pipeline projects to bring energy
    supplies to the West.

    Earlier Monday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu visited Iraq and
    Syria to try and defuse diplomatic tensions over Baghdad's demand that
    Damascus extradite two suspects wanted in a recent suicide attacks
    on government ministries.
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