Russia welcomes course of Armenian-Turkish rapprochement

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia welcomes the course towards the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a press conference on Wednesday, March 16, TASS reports.

"The first meeting of special representatives on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has been organized. We welcome the course towards the normalization of these bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries," the top Russian diplomat said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he held "productive and constructive" talks with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan on March 12 as they bid to mend ties.

Speaking through a translator, Mirzoyan said: "We are continuing the process of normalizing relations without preconditions ... We are making efforts."

The two met at a diplomatic forum in Antalya on Turkey's southern coast. Ankara has had no diplomatic or commercial ties with Armenia since the 1990s but they held talks in January in a first attempt to restore links since a 2009 peace accord, which was never ratified.