Turkish FM to meet Armenian counterpart at Munich conference

Babacan told reporters before his departure for Munich that he would meet Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian on the sidelines of the security conference to be held in this city.Â

 

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

 

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.

 

Future of European security, disarmament, developments in Afghanistan, Caucasus, Balkans and the Middle East, would be discussed during the 45th Munich Security Conference, Babacan also told reporters.

 

The Turkish foreign minister said he would attend a panel discussion on Balkans and the Middle East on Saturday.