ANKARA: "relations at historic point, border could be opened"

Hurriyet, Turkey
Feb 28 2009

"Turkey-Armenia relations at historic point, border could be opened"

The relations between Turkey and Armenia are at a historic turning
point and the developments could result the opening of the border of
two neighboring countries, a U.S. congressman said late on Friday.

Robert Wexler told the U.S. Foreign Affairs Committee it seemed
relations between Turkey and Armenia were at a point of historic
opportunity, adding the relations could be normalized and border gates
between Turkey and Armenia could be opened, the state-run Anatolian
Agency reported Saturday.

Wexler, co-chair of the Turkish friendship group in the U.S. House of
Representatives, paid a visit to Turkey and held a series of talks
with high-level officials last week.

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

A warmer period began in relations when Turkish President Abdullah Gul
paid a landmark visit to Yerevan in September to watch a World Cup
qualifying football match between the two countries on the invitation
of Sargsyan. The two countries have been holding contacts at the
ministerial level since.