Turkey, Armenia hold ‘constructive’ talks on mending ties

Turkish International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks throughout a information convention after assembly together with his counterparts Russian Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian Dmytro Kuleba, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Antalya, Turkey March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

ANTALYA, Turkey, March 12 (Reuters) – Turkish International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated he held “productive and constructive” talks together with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan on Saturday as they bid to fix ties after many years of animosity.

The 2 met at a diplomatic discussion board in Antalya on Turkey’s southern coast. Ankara has had no diplomatic or industrial ties with Armenia for the reason that Nineteen Nineties however they held talks in January in a primary try to revive hyperlinks since a 2009 peace accord, which was by no means ratified.

Saturday’s assembly was the primary sit-down assembly between the 2 nations’ overseas ministers since 2009. They spoke briefly on the sidelines of an OSCE assembly in November final 12 months.

“It was a really productive and constructive dialog,” Cavusoglu advised reporters after the talks, which lasted half-hour. “We’re making efforts for stability and peace.”

Talking by way of a translator, Mirzoyan stated: “We’re persevering with the method of normalising relations with out preconditions … We’re making efforts.”

The 2 nations are at odds over a number of points, primarily the 1.5 million folks Armenia says had been killed in 1915 by the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor to fashionable Turkey.

Armenia says the 1915 killings represent a genocide. Turkey accepts that many Armenians dwelling within the Ottoman Empire had been killed in clashes with Ottoman forces throughout World Battle One, however contests the figures and denies killings had been systematic or represent genocide.

The 2 nations have stated the January talks had been “optimistic and constructive,” elevating the prospect that ties might be restored and borders reopened. learn extra

Tensions flared throughout a 2020 warfare over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Turkey accused ethnic Armenian forces of occupying land belonging to Azerbaijan. Turkey has since referred to as for a rapprochement, because it seeks better regional affect.

Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu
Writing by Daren Butler
Modifying by Mark Potter

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