23 Apr 2010

Hitch in progress towards accord

10:10 am on 23 April 2010

Armenia is halting ratification of an accord with Turkey on opening their borders and normalising relations.

The accord was aimed at restoring diplomatic ties and improving relations.

The coalition government says Turkey is refusing to "ratify the protocols without preconditions".

The two countries signed a deal in October 2009 to re-establish diplomatic ties.

There had been a century of hostility following mass killings of Armenians in World War I.

Armenia wants Turkey to recognise the killings as an act of genocide, but successive Turkish governments have refused to do so.

The BBC reports diplomatic moves to normalise relations have faltered recently.