TABDC welcomes Iran's proposal to mediate between Ankara and YerevanJuly 29, 2008 - 15:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Kaan Soyak, co-chairman of the Turkey-Armenia business development council (TABDC), welcomed Iran's proposal to mediate between Ankara and Yerevan. Pointing out to the fact that Turkey and Armenia are on the brink of a breakthrough, Soyak said for the first time regional countries and the Minsk Group (the United States, Russia and France) all agreed on the need for peace between the two countries, the Anatolia News Agency reports.Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki offered his country's mediation for Armenia-Turkey reconciliation during a phone conversation with RA FM Edward Nalbandian. Turkey severed its ties and closed its border with Armenia in 1993 as a token of solidarity with Azerbaijan in the Nagorno Karabakh issue. Ankara also says the normalization of ties depends on Armenia's formal recognition of the current borders with Turkey and changing its policy of calling for worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. In a sign of readiness to normalize ties, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan proposed "a fresh start" in relations with Turkey in an article published in The Wall Street Journal earlier this month. Sargsyan also invited Gul to a World Cup qualifying match between Armenian and Turkish teams on September 6. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Power of One Dram sums up two-year program with Teach for Armenia Idram Junior also joined the companies during the visit, bringing with it a fascinating intellectual game for children Moscow slams EU mission in Armenia for “provocative activity” The EU mission is doing more and more against Armenia’s neighbors Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, Mikhail Galuzin said. Yerevan Mayor to travel to Paris on May 15-19 The official delegation headed by Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan will travel to Paris from May 15 to 19. Armenia, India hold first defense consultations The meeting was attended by Indian Ambassador Nilakshi Saha Sinha and Defense Attaché Brigadier General Naveen Nijhawan. |