Turkish FM holds productive talks with Armenian counterpart, pres

"Babacan met with his Armenian counterpart (Eduard) Nalbandian. Later, he paid a visit of courtesy to President (Serzh) Sargsyan. They were quite productive talks. These talks aim at normalizing the relations between Turkey and Armenia," Burak Ozugergin, spokesman for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was quoted by Anatolian Agency as saying.

He said Babacan also came together with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and held bilateral talks with his German, Finnish and Estonian counterparts.

Babacan last week met Nalbandian on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, and said there has been an ongoing process between Turkey and Armenia, who have no diplomatic relations. He added that when a tangible outcome is achieved it would be announced.

The two countries 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.

Babacan will proceed to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku from Germany, adding he would meet Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and President Ilham Aliyev there on Monday.

Photo is an archive image.