Progress made in talks with Armenia, says FM
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 09, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday said talks to normalize relations with Armenia had advanced during a meeting with Armenian President Serge Sarkisian in Munich over the weekend.
"We have a platform where we discuss our bilateral problems," Babacan said at a press conference in Germany, where he attended the 45th Munich Security Conference, reported the Anatolia News Agency.
"We made progress in talks on how to normalize relations," he said, referring to the meeting with Sarkisian, who was accompanied by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
Recent talks between Armenia and Turkey were the most important and intensive since World War I, said Babacan, adding he was warm to the possible contribution of third parties in the process. Sarkisian on his part, said important developments could happen in Turkish-Armenian relations in the second half of the year, the agency reported. Armenia aimed at improving cooperation with all regional countries to make southern Caucasus an alternate route of transportation, he added.
Babacan also said that NATO and the European Union could succeed in creating common values and ideals in the Balkan countries where different religious faiths and cultures co-existed.
"The EU should pursue an opening policy towards the Balkans. We support Serbia's membership to the EU. Macedonia should become a member of NATO as soon as possible," he said at a panel discussion.
"We made progress in talks on how to normalize relations," he said, referring to the meeting with Sarkisian, who was accompanied by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
Recent talks between Armenia and Turkey were the most important and intensive since World War I, said Babacan, adding he was warm to the possible contribution of third parties in the process. Sarkisian on his part, said important developments could happen in Turkish-Armenian relations in the second half of the year, the agency reported. Armenia aimed at improving cooperation with all regional countries to make southern Caucasus an alternate route of transportation, he added.
Babacan also said that NATO and the European Union could succeed in creating common values and ideals in the Balkan countries where different religious faiths and cultures co-existed.
"The EU should pursue an opening policy towards the Balkans. We support Serbia's membership to the EU. Macedonia should become a member of NATO as soon as possible," he said at a panel discussion.