Turkey, Armenia to continue efforts to mend ties

Turkey and Armenia have agreed to press ahead with efforts to establish diplomatic relations "without conditions" and continue normalization efforts that could lead to the reopening of their joint borders for trade, their foreign ministers said Saturday.

Turkey and Armenia have more than 100 years of hostility over the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey.

The two countries have appointed special representatives who have so far held two rounds of talks in Moscow and Vienna to improve ties.

Turkey and Armenia reached an agreement in 2009 to establish formal relations and to open their joint border, but the agreement was never ratified because of strong opposition from Azerbaijan. This time around, however, Azerbaijan has given the nod for the reconciliation efforts.