Obama: U.S. to be constructive in Turkey-Armenia talks

ANKARA, April 6 -- U.S. President Barack Obama, who is currently on a state visit to Turkey, said on Monday he was encouraged by the dialogues between Turkey and Armenia aimed at improving ties, promising Washington will be as constructive as possible on the improvement of their ties.

At a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul after hour-long talks, Obama avoided a clear-cut answer to an American journalist's question that whether he has changed his position of calling the killing of Armenians during the World War I as "genocide" as stated in his election campaign in 2008.

"I'm not to focus on my view now, but on the views of the Turkish people and Armenian people," Obama answered.

He said as Turkey and Armenia are having "serious negotiations¡± that could bear fruit quickly, "I will be as encouraging as possible," adding the world should also encourage them.

Armenians claim that more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a systematic genocide in the hands of the Ottomans during World War I, before modern Turkey was born in 1923. But Turkey insists the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and governmental breakdown as the 600-year-old empire collapsed in the years before 1923.

After Obama's remarks, Gul said the Armenians were mainly killed in internal clashes, adding the issue is not a political issue, but a historical one.

He said Turkey has suggested to set up a joint historians commission to resolve the issue, which also welcomes the participation of a third country, such as the United States. "We are ready to face the realities, the facts," said Gul.

He noted that Turkey's goal is to normalize relations with Armenia, and has initiated some dialogues for this purpose.