Gul sees common understanding in Turkey-Armenia relations

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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Gul met Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan late Thursday on the sidelines of an EU summit in the Czech capital of Prague.  

Ankara cut diplomatic links with Yerevan and closed the border in a show of support to Azerbaijan in 1993 after 20 percent of its territory was invaded by Armenia in a disputed region known as Nagorno-Karabakh, a frozen conflict legacy of the Soviet Union.

Turkey and Armenia, however, agreed last month on a "road map" deal for U.S.-backed talks that could lead to the normalizing of ties and the opening of their border.

Gul said on Friday the leaders "have renewed commitment on normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia."

"Works are underway for normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia," he told a press conference in Prague when asked to comment on opening of Turkish-Armenian border.

ALIYEV-SARGSYAN MEETING

Speaking to reporters following Thursday's meeting, the Turkish president said he also appreciated that there had been positive developments in the meeting between Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Sargsyan, which took place earlier on Thursday in Prague.

"I hope these processes are carried out in an attentive manner and peace and stability are provided in the Caucasus region," Gul was quoted by the state-run Anatolian Agency as saying.

The presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed on the "basic ideas" of resolving the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during their meeting, mediators said.

"They were able … to reduce their differences on basic principles and generally agree on the basic ideas they came here to discuss," Reuters quoted OSCE Minsk Group American Co-chair Matthew Bryza as telling reporters after the meeting between Aliyev and Sargsyan. 

"For the first time, the presidents agreed on basic ideas surrounding these (long discussed) points," he added, refusing to give details on the substance of the talks.

French envoy Bernard Fassier also told reporters that a breakthrough was being prepared and the parties are in a position to identify what could be the break, but they are not yet.

The envoys said the talks between Aliyev and Sargsyan would continue on a lower level in the coming weeks, and the two presidents may meet again in St. Petersburg in early June.

The Turkish president met Aliyev ahead of his talks with Sargsyan. No statement was made following the meeting.