Armenian president congratulates his Turkish counterpart on republic day

YEREVAN, October 25. / ARKA /. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sent a message to Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to congratulate him on the Republic Day, the press service of the Armenian president reports.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations; the border between the two countries was closed in 1993 by Ankara in solidarity with Azerbaijan. The thaw in relations between the two countries began from Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Yerevan on September 6, 2008. 

He came to Armenia at his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation to attend a 2010 World Cup qualifier in Yerevan between Armenian and Turkish national teams. In 2009 October 10 Armenia and Turkey signed "Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations" and the "Protocol on the development of bilateral relations" in Zurich which were to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries. However, on 22 April 2010, the President of Armenia signed a decree suspending the ratification of the protocols, stating that Turkey was not ready to continue the process.  -0-