Armenian president builds backing for Turkey tiesArmenian President Serzh Sarkisian held five hours of talks with the country's political leaders on Thursday as he sought to build support for the delicate aim of establishing diplomatic ties with Turkey. Speaking at the opening of the closed-door talks, Sarkisian said the meeting with members of 52 political parties was aimed at hearing all perspectives on the controversial issue. "I have heard various opinions in detail, I have heard positive, encouraging statements, and I have heard criticisms and concerns as well," Sarkisian said. "Obviously I also see risks and have concerns. But in order to assess the risks properly... we must bring all of our observations together," he said. "I see the end of this process only as providing the minimum environment to begin a dialogue with Turkey," he said. Armenia and Turkey announced last month they had agreed a framework to establish diplomatic ties and reopen re·o·pen tr. & intr.v. re·o·pened, re·o·pen·ing, re·o·pens 1. To open or be opened again: Officials reopened the airport after the snow was cleared. Schools reopen in September. their border after decades of hostility, in what was internationally hailed as a major breakthrough. The two countries said they would hold internal political consultations for six weeks before submitting to their parliaments two protocols on establishing diplomatic ties and developing bilateral relations. The deal has come under fire from opposition groups in both countries, which accuse ac·cuse v. ac·cused, ac·cus·ing, ac·cus·es v.tr. 1. To charge with a shortcoming or error. 2. To charge formally with a wrongdoing. v.intr. their governments of making concessions. Turkey has long refused to establish diplomatic links with Armenia over Yerevan's efforts to have World War I-era massacres of Armenians by Ottoman Turks The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. The ruling class is covered under Ottoman Dynasty. recognised as genocide genocide, in international law, the intentional and systematic destruction, wholly or in part, by a government of a national, racial, religious, or ethnic group. -- a label Ankara strongly rejects. Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were systematically killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire (ŏt`əmən), vast state founded in the late 13th cent. by Turkish tribes in Anatolia and ruled by the descendants of Osman I until its dissolution in 1918. , the predecessor of modern Turkey, was falling apart. Turkey also closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with ally Azerbaijan over Yerevan's backing of ethnic Armenian separatists separatists, in religion, those bodies of Christians who withdrew from the Church of England. They desired freedom from church and civil authority, control of each congregation by its membership, and changes in ritual. In the 16th cent. in the breakaway break·a·way adj. 1. Designed to break, bend, or fall apart easily upon impact, especially to create an illusion, as with a theater prop, or for safety, as with a highway sign or barrier. 2. Nagorny Karabakh region. 
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