Austria welcomes agreement between Turkey, Armenia

VIENNA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Austrian government welcomes the signing of two protocols between Turkey and Armenia on the normalization of bilateral relations, Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said on Monday.

The agreement signed by the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia in Zurich University on Saturday evening "is a milestone on the road to the normalization of their relationship," Spindelegger said.

"We hope that both sides could continue this process of convergence to overcome the remaining differences and set steps to ensure the positive effects of this agreement," he added.

The protocols cover two main aspects: the opening of borders and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia.

The protocols need to be ratified by the two countries' parliaments before they can take effect.

Armenia and Turkey have had no diplomatic or economic ties since Armenia declared its independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. The two neighbors have long been at odds over the World War I massacres of Armenians under Ottoman rule.