Ankara - Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan on Friday expressed optimism that long-running disputes between Turkey and Armenia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan can be resolved and that Turkey was determined to push forward in the interests of regional peace.

"These two tracks could move fast because there is good political will," Babacan said at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Istanbul.

Moscow/Yerevan - President Dmitry Medvedev began a two-day visit on Monday to Armenia, caught in a precarious security deadlock in the Caucasus following Russia's recent war with Georgia.

The trips marks Medvedev's fifth meeting this year with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, a firm Moscow ally.

"The main provision on the agenda of Medvedev's visit will be talks in the tete-a-tete and extended formats talks with Sarkisian,"

Moscow/Yerevan - President Dmitry Medvedev began a two-day visit on Monday to Armenia, caught in a precarious security deadlock in the Caucasus following Russia's recent war with Georgia.

The trips marks Medvedev's fifth meeting this year with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, a firm Moscow ally.

"The main provision on the agenda of Medvedev's visit will be talks in the tete-a-tete and extended formats talks with Sarkisian,"

a Kremlin official said on customary condition of anonymity Monday. "This vividly proves the high level of political dialog aimed at the further strengthening of strategic partnership."

The official added that trade and economic relations were the primary topics of discussion.