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Turkey and Armenia set for ties Turkey and Armenia set for ties
(about 2 hours later)
Turkey and its neighbour Armenia have agreed to hold talks on establishing diplomatic ties after decades of bitter mistrust on both sides. Turkey and its neighbour Armenia have moved closer to establishing diplomatic ties after decades of bitter mistrust on both sides.
Their foreign ministries announced the Swiss-brokered development in a joint statement issued in the Turkish and Armenian capitals, Ankara and Yerevan. They are to hold six weeks of domestic consultations on the move after which their parliaments will vote on it, their foreign ministries announced.
Turkish spokesman Burak Ozugergin said the talks should take about six weeks. Negotiations on the mending of ties have been brokered by Switzerland.
The two countries' dispute centres on the fate of Armenians under Turkish Ottoman rule nearly a century ago.The two countries' dispute centres on the fate of Armenians under Turkish Ottoman rule nearly a century ago.
Turkey has resisted widespread calls for it to recognise the mass killing of Armenians during World War I as an act of genocide.Turkey has resisted widespread calls for it to recognise the mass killing of Armenians during World War I as an act of genocide.
The countries said on Monday that their parliaments would be asked to ratify protocols after a six-week political consultation period. Anticipation of a diplomatic breakthrough has been growing ahead of a planned visit by Armenian President Serge Sarkisian to Turkey on 14 October.
He is due to attend the return leg of a World Cup qualifying football match between the two countries.
'Border to open'
A roadmap for the normalisation of the relationship between the two countries was agreed in April.
Hundreds of thousands of Ottoman Armenians died in 1915Hundreds of thousands of Ottoman Armenians died in 1915
A roadmap for the normalisation of the relationship between them was agreed in April.
The foreign ministries said the two countries had agreed to start internal discussions on two protocols: one establishing diplomatic relations and the other developing bilateral ties.The foreign ministries said the two countries had agreed to start internal discussions on two protocols: one establishing diplomatic relations and the other developing bilateral ties.
"The political consultations will be completed within six weeks, following which the two protocols will be signed and submitted to the respective parliaments for ratification," their joint statement said."The political consultations will be completed within six weeks, following which the two protocols will be signed and submitted to the respective parliaments for ratification," their joint statement said.
According to Reuters news agency, the Turkish-Armenian border - closed by Turkey in 1993 - will re-open within two months of the protocols coming into force.
Modern Armenia, which took shape as a Soviet republic in 1920, has only had diplomatic relations with Turkey as part of the USSR.Modern Armenia, which took shape as a Soviet republic in 1920, has only had diplomatic relations with Turkey as part of the USSR.
Since declaring independence in 1991, it has pressed for recognition of what it says was genocide.Since declaring independence in 1991, it has pressed for recognition of what it says was genocide.
Relations have also been complicated by Turkish support for Azerbaijan in its armed conflict with Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.Relations have also been complicated by Turkish support for Azerbaijan in its armed conflict with Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.