The governments of Turkey and Armenia have agreed to a plan to establish diplomatic relations. The plan will be put to both countries' parliaments for ratification within six weeks.

Ankara and Yerevan announced a roadmap to establish relations in April. Some one-and-a-half million Armenians reportedly died by execution or starvation when the Ottoman rulers began to deport them en masse in 1915. Turkey denies that a mass murder took place.

A solution to the controversial issue is not included as a condition for the normalisation of relations. In 1993, Ankara closed its borders with Armenia when Yerevan became involved in a war with Azerbaijan.

Photo: Genocide monument in Yerevan - pictureninja.com