Washington, 11 June 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian is urging the United States to get more involved in helping Armenia and Turkey reach a settlement of their dispute.
Oskanian made the call after meeting Friday in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Oskanian in particular urged the United States to help persuade Turkey to reopen the border with Armenia and resume normal trade ties.
Armenia has also recently urged the European Union to pressure Turkey to reopen the border, which the Turks closed in 1993 during the conflict between Armenian-backed forces and Azerbaijan over the mainly ethnic Armenian populated Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in Azerbaijan.
In addition to the Turkish trade embargo, Armenian-Turkish ties are strained by Turkey's rejection of Armenia's contention that Ottoman Turks committed genocide against Armenians from 1915-1923.
(AP, RFE/RL's Armenian Service)
Armenia has also recently urged the European Union to pressure Turkey to reopen the border, which the Turks closed in 1993 during the conflict between Armenian-backed forces and Azerbaijan over the mainly ethnic Armenian populated Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in Azerbaijan.
In addition to the Turkish trade embargo, Armenian-Turkish ties are strained by Turkey's rejection of Armenia's contention that Ottoman Turks committed genocide against Armenians from 1915-1923.
(AP, RFE/RL's Armenian Service)