Yerevan says opening border with Turkey not a favor to Armenia

Resolving the dispute between Armenia and Turkey is in the interests of both countries, the ministry said in a statement issued after a rare meeting between Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan in Istanbul.

"The full-scale settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations is in the interests of the two countries and the two peoples," the statement said.

"Dialogue between Armenia and Turkey is aimed particularly at establishing diplomatic relations and at opening borders. This must not be considered as a favor to be given to Armenia because this is of no less interest to Turkey," it added.

Nalbandian was in Turkey for a one-day visit to the headquarters of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation group, whose rotating six-month presidency Armenia took over on Nov. 1, and talks with Babacan.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and their border has been closed for more than a decade, as Armenia presses the international community to admit the so-called "genocide" claims instead of accepting Turkey's call to investigate the allegations, and Armenia's invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan.

A warmer period began the two countries began after Turkish President Abdullah Gul paid a landmark visit to Yerevan in September on the occasion of a Turkish-Armenian World Cup football qualifying match.

Turkey and Armenia aim to totally normalize bilateral relations, Babacan told reporters Monday following his meeting with Nalbandian.

Babacan told reporters he discussed with Nalbandian bilateral relations, the establishment of a cooperation and stability platform in the Caucasus, and regional problems, after the meeting that lasted more than two hours.