Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has said that his country will continue efforts aimed at normalizing relations with Armenia.

"Our aim is to fully normalize bilateral relations," Babacan said after meeting with his Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandian in Istanbul on Monday.

According to the Turkish official, the two-hour meeting was fruitful and constructive as the two leaders discussed cooperation and regional issues as well as establishing a security and stability platform in the Caucasus.

He noted that Turkey and Armenia would continue their political and technical contacts in the following days.

Babacan also announced that his Armenian counterpart is expected to visit Turkey some time soon.

Turkey has refused to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia since 1991, because it objects to Armenian forces' occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh region. Armenia insists the deaths of about 1.5 million ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century should be recognized as genocide but Turkey says the number is inflated and that the killings were the result of a civil war.

HRF/RA