Turkey and Armenia sign historic peace agreement

Turkey and Armenia have signed a historic peace agreement ending a century of hostility – hostility that stemmed from the World War One mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister and his Armenian counterpart signed the Swiss-mediated deal in Zurich at a meeting attended by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Clinton had helped smooth over last-minute disagreements about statements given at the ceremony.

The peace accord establishes diplomatic ties and opens borders. It is of international interest because it may ease tensions in other parts of south eastern Europe and help establish oil pipelines to the West.

The Turkish and Armenian parliaments must now approve the deal in the face of opposition from nationalists on both sides and an Armenian diaspora which insists Turkey acknowledge the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians as genocide.

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tags: Armenia, Diplomacy, Turkey