Japan also hopes to establish diplomatic ties with the North for the first time.

ECONOMIST: North Korea��s price of friendship

Israel was the last country in the Middle East to establish diplomatic ties with China, Witte said.

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Relations between these Turkic allies took a dive in April when Turkey unveiled a draft agreement to establish diplomatic ties and reopen its border with Armenia.

ECONOMIST: Turkish foreign policy

Mr Gul's decision to accept an invitation from Armenia's president, Serzh Sarkisian, has raised expectations that Turkey may establish diplomatic ties and open the border it closed during the 1990s fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

ECONOMIST: Turkey and Armenia