US President Barack Obama and Turkish President Abdullah Gul Saturday discussed a range of regional issues in a telephone conversation, including the evolving relations between Turkey and Armenia, the White House said. Theу discussed "the historic progress that is being made on normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia, and the importance of maintaining the momentum in this important effort," the White House said in a statement.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols a week ago aimed at opening up diplomatic relations, bilateral ties and their common border after years of hostility.

On Friday, Armenia backed Turkey's efforts to join the European Union, saying it would serve its own interests in pursuing closer relations with the EU.

Gul and Obama discussed the situation in Afghanistan and agreed to work closely in the "critical weeks" ahead. Obama is in the midst of defining a new strategy for the war there, which has seen escalating deaths of US and international troops.