Istanbul, April 23, SPA --Turkey and Armenia have agreed on a road map to normalise ties after nearly a century of hostility, a move that would boost Turkey's relations with the EU and the U.S. but could upset its ally, oil-rich Azerbaijan, Reuters reported. The two states have since last year held high-level talks torestore ties, which could mean reopening a border shut in 1993. "The two parties have achieved tangible progress and mutualunderstanding in this process and they have agreed on acomprehensive framework for the normalisation of their bilateralrelations," the foreign ministries of both countries said lateon Wednesday, without elaborating. The years of stand-off isolated impoverished Armenia andobstructed Turkey's efforts to join the European Union. "We welcome the progress in the normalisation of relationsbetween Turkey and Armenia," said a joint statement by EUEnlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn and External RelationsCommissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. "The Commission supports both countries' diplomatic effortstowards full normalisation of bilateral relations, including theopening of the border between Armenia and Turkey," they added. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/657450