After consultations with the country's political parties on the Turkish-Armenian Protocol, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davudoglu expressed concern that Armenia will not abandon the claims for "genocide" even after the opening of the border, the Turkish Anadolu news agency reported.
"I do not think that Armenia will refuse from "genocide" claims after the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border," said Davudoglu.
On Aug. 31, Turkey and Armenia in the talks mediated by Switzerland reached an agreement to launch "internal political consultations" to sign the Protocol on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and Protocol on Development of Bilateral Relations, the Turkish Foreign Ministry reported.
Political consultations will be completed within six weeks, and following that two protocols will be signed and submitted to the two countries' parliaments for approval, the Turkish Foreign Ministry reported.
Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
The Turkish Foreign Minister has met with the representatives of the country's opposition camp. Opposition Leader Deniz Baykal asked to include the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh in the protocol, signed in August between Turkey and Armenia. The head of the National Movement Party, Devlet Bahceli refused to meet with Davudoglu.