Turkey, Armenia agree to open formal talks on three disputed issues

The two neighbors, who have not had diplomatic relations for more than a decade, will open talks on opening borders, restoring diplomatic relations and setting up commissions to deal with historical disputes, the report said citing diplomats. Â

The Turkish and Armenian governments could soon announce the deal, diplomats told the paper, speaking on condition of anonymity.     Â

The diplomats, who said the timing of the deal is being choreographed to coincide with the schedule of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Turkey on Sunday, added that one date under discussion for signing the agreement with Armenia is April 16, the WSJ suggested.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and their border has been closed for more than a decade over Armenia's invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan. Armenia's attempts, with the backing of the diaspora, to have the international community to admit its claims regarding the 1915 incidents instead of accepting Turkey's call to investigate the allegations, are other disputed topics between the two neighboring countries.

Both countries have however been engaged in a normalization process since Turkish President Abdullah Gul paid a landmark visit to Yerevan last year to watch a World Cup qualifying football match between the countries national teams.Â

Normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia would "create a new and positive dynamic" alliance in the region, "as well as developing the economic and transport links that we have been pursuing since the collapse of the former Soviet Union," U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew J. Bryza, the State Department's point man in the Caucasus, told the paper.

Bryza traveled to Azerbaijan Thursday to discuss how a Turkish-Armenian agreement could help revive efforts for a settlement on Nagorno-Karabakh, the report added.

Any move by Turkey to open the border with Armenia is likely to be unwelcomed by Azerbaijan, as recently signaled by high-level officials. Azeri officials have expressed concerns over the prospect and some media reports suggested that Baku might even go one step further in halting the sale of natural gas to Turkey.