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Armenian, Turkish FMs meet in Munich

Armenia Materials 7 February 2009 13:27 (UTC +04:00)

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan on Friday in Munich, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tigran Balayan told RIA Novosti on Feb. 7.

"The officials discussed ways to improve Armenian-Turkish relations. The meeting was held at the 45th International Security Conference," Balayan said.

Balayan added that it was the second meeting between the two ministers in 2009. The first meeting took place last week in Davos during the World Economic Forum.

Armenia and Turkey do not maintain diplomatic relations.

 

The Armenian-Turkish border has been closed since 1993 upon the initiative of official Ankara. Turkey established a number of preconditions to commence bilateral relations with Yerevan.

 

A major precondition is for Armenia to end its efforts to have the "Armenian Genocide" recognized internationally. Armenia claims the Ottoman Empire committed genocide during World War I.

 

Yerevan wants to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey without preconditions.

Armenian-Turkish official contacts have intensified.

 

On Sept. 6, Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Yerevan for the first time upon the invitation of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to watch the football match between Armenia and Turkey in the qualifying round of World Cup 2010.

 

Sargsyan plans to pay a return visit to Istanbul in October 2009.

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