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Turkey, Armenia Move Toward Diplomatic Ties

Talks won't touch WWI-era massacre at root of ill feelings, however

By the Associated Press

Posted Aug 31, 2009 9:13 PM CDT
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(AP) – Armenia and Turkey, bitter foes for a century, took a step toward reconciliation today by announcing they would launch final talks aimed at establishing diplomatic ties. But they won't discuss the deepest source of their enmity: the World War I-era massacres of Armenians under Ottoman rule. The sides say they expect talks to take six weeks and to end with an agreement setting up and developing ties.

The talks still face pitfalls, and will follow months of inactivity after signs of promise earlier in the year when President Obama appealed for reconciliation during a visit to Turkey. The parliaments of the two countries must ratify a deal on diplomatic normalization, and in Turkey, nationalist sentiment and suspicion about Armenian intentions is particularly high.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul, left, and Armenian President Serge Sarkisian meet in Yerevan, Armenia, Sept. 6, 2008.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, left, and Armenian President Serge Sarkisian meet in Yerevan, Armenia, Sept. 6, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, left, and Armenian President Serge Sarkisian shake hands during a meeting Sept. 6, 2008.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, left, and Armenian President Serge Sarkisian shake hands during a meeting Sept. 6, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, right, and Armenian President Serge Sarkisian meet in Yerevan, Armenia, Sept. 6, 2008.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, right, and Armenian President Serge Sarkisian meet in Yerevan, Armenia, Sept. 6, 2008.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
brawne
Sep 1, 2009 7:22 AM CDT
The Turks will take responsibility for that piece of nastiness right about when the Vatican opens up its Holocaust files. I lived in Ismir for two years. Not the happiest time of my life. But, I did learn that people are ethnocentric as hell. Had a terrible lunch with an otherwise sweet Turkish woman who gave Mel Gibson a run for his money. About the same as that wicked Serb who's my mother's best friend who through a plate at me for suggesting they were doing a bit of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans. I wish I'd grown up in a little town in Oklahoma with a regular family.
orchide87
Sep 1, 2009 6:34 AM CDT
I don't think they're ever gona own up to it, they've been denying it for a century almost! Unless this is gona continue to affect the fact that EU won't let Turkey into the union because of that.
Rembrandt_Q_Einstein
Sep 1, 2009 6:29 AM CDT
I wonder if Turkey will finally own up to the Armenian Genocide?

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Turkey • massacre • nationalism • Armenia • Ottoman Empire • diplomatic ties • President Obama

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