Armenian FM Invited to Attend Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey

YEREVAN -Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has invited his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan to attend an international conference that will be held in Turkey in March.

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum organized by the Turkish government will bring together politicians, diplomats and experts from around the world for three-day discussions on international security.

“The foreign ministers of 39 countries have already confirmed their participation,” Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.

“We have also invited neighboring countries: Armenia, Greece, Greek Cyprus, Israel and Egypt,” he added, listing nations with which Turkey has strained relations.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed that Mirzoyan has received an invitation from Ankara. He has not yet decided whether to participate in the forum, said ministry spokesman Vahan Hunanyan.

“Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan has received and continues receiving invitations to participate in different events, including the Antalya Diplomacy Forum this year,” Hunanyan said.

“The Foreign Ministry of Armenia is discussing the appropriateness of the minister’s participation in the aforementioned events in accordance with the respective procedures. The public will be properly informed about the decisions made,” the Spokesperson said.

Cavusoglu revealed the invitation to Mirzoyan less than a week after special envoys of Armenia and Turkey held the first round of negotiations on normalizing relations between the two neighboring states.