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US President Barack Obama and Turkish President Abdullah Gul Saturday discussed a range of regional issues in a telephone conversation, including the evolving relations between Turkey and Armenia, the White House said. Theу discussed "the historic progress that is being made on normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia, and the importance of maintaining the momentum in this important effort," the White House said in a statement.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols a week ago aimed at opening up diplomatic relations, bilateral ties and their common border after years of hostility.

On Friday, Armenia backed Turkey's efforts to join the European Union, saying it would serve its own interests in pursuing closer relations with the EU.

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution intend to visit the region approximately in the October end or November beginning 2009, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told Trend News, October 16, 2009. According to Mammadyarov, the mediators should realize what they heard in Chisinau and think over upholding of the actual dynamics.

Meanwhile, commenting on Mammadyarov’s statement, RA Foreign Office Spokesman Tigran Balayan confirmed neither the fact of forthcoming visit, nor its possible date.

OSCE Minsk Group CO-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Bernard Fassier (France) and Robert Bradtke (U.S) paid a regional visit on September 30, 2009. The Ambassadors visited Yerevan, Stepanakert (October 2-3) and Baku (October 4-6).

October 16, “Im Tirtzu” Israeli movement held protest action near the Turkish Embassy in Israel. The movement activists organized an improvised display of photographs on Armenian Genocide and called on Turkish government to recognize the fact of “Armenian Holocaust” in Ottoman Empire. Im Tirtzu movement was founded by Israeli Universities’ students after the Second Lebanese war. The movement is aimed at enforcement and restoration of Zionist values in Israeli society.

The protest was held in the context of Israeli-Turkish relations’ deterioration.

/News from Armenia - NEWS.am/

A suicide bomber killed at least two senior commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the country's southeast Sunday during an attack in which 60 people died or were wounded, Iranian media reported.

State television suggested that a Sunni rebel group called Jundollah (God's soldiers) -- linked by some analysts to the Taliban -- was the likely suspect for the most severe attack on the Revolutionary Guards in recent years.

"Attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body during gathering of tribal heads," state Press TV said in a headline, adding that civilians and tribal leaders were also among the victims.

The Revolutionary Guards blamed "foreign elements" linked to the United States ... Read more »

Tert.am’s correspondent asked F. Mete Cubukcu, the news director of one of Turkey’s leading television stations NTV (seen in the photo below), how the dispute between the TV station and Turkey’s Foreign Minister ended.

In early October, Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs prohibited NTV journalists from attending a ministry-organized press conference. It became apparent that the reason for this was connected with NTV journalist Bilge Egemen who had visited the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and prepared a series of reports, which were then broadcast from Karabakh. For that reason, NTV did not receive accreditation during the time when Turkish President Abdullah Gul was in Nakhichevan for the summit of heads of Tu ... Read more »

“Nork” Information-Analytical Center – one of the leaders in IT field in Armenia, opened a branch in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Center cooperates with NKR Social Affairs Ministry and Artsakh Investment Fund.

NKR Premier Ara Harutyunyan, Minister of Social Affairs Narine Asatryan and other officials participated in the opening ceremony. The NKR Social Affairs Ministry website presentation was also made. It is expected that the e-source will raise public awareness and make the department’s activities more effective.

/News from Armenia - NEWS.am/