Business group calls for economic ties with Armenia

called on the government to focus on Armenia as it strives to improve

economic ties with all its other neighbors including Greece.

The Istanbul-based group said in a statement that the government

should rethink relations with Yerevan and added that removal of the

tension in Azerbaijan-Armenia relations and normalization of ties

between Ankara and Yerevan would constitute a major item in the

politics of the Caucasus in a near future.

Turkey has no diplomatic ties with its northeastern neighbor Armenia

and says restoration of ties depends on Armenia’s ending its

occupation in the Azeri territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, ratifying

border agreements with Turkey and stopping their backing of the

powerful Armenian diaspora’s efforts aimed at recognition of an

Armenian genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire at the

beginning of the 20th century.

The statement from the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Group

said that the problematic relations between Turkey and Armenia could

be manipulated and exploited by third countries as long as the two

countries do not take steps to resolve problems on their own.

“This is no good for Turkey or for Armenia,” the statement said.

Turkish, Azeri and Armenian foreign ministers met earlier this year

during a NATO meeting in Spain, initiating dialogues between the

three countries. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Armenian

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian are expected to meet once again in

New York on the sidelines of the United Nations’ ongoing General

Assembly meetings.

The statement expressed support for the “brave steps that Turkish

diplomacy has taken to normalize relations with Armenia” and for the

“efforts of reconciliation initiated by Gul and Oskanian.”

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Copyright 2003, Turkish Daily News.