Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has pressed Armenia and Turkey to follow through on their commitment to normalize relations after decades of hostility.

In separate meetings on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Clinton told the foreign ministers of the two countries that they should proceed apace and not get bogged down by political opposition to a deal, which they hope to seal by mid-October.

Normalization "should take place without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe," Clinton said as she met Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. She later delivered a similar message to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, U.S. officials said. While Davutoğlu informed Clinton on the recent developments in Turkey's relations with Armenia, the U.S. secretary of state told him that Washington supports the process.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Sunday that Turkey and Armenia would sign a deal to establish diplomatic ties on Oct. 10. But the agreement must be approved by the countries' parliaments to take effect and a major dispute remains over the 1915 killings of Armenians. Despite the Armenian claims, Turkey says it wasn't a “genocide” and that the death toll has been inflated.

US eager for deal

The top U.S. diplomat for Europe, Philip Gordon, said the United States was eager for the deal, which also foresees the reopening of the Turkish-Armenian border, and was anxious that it happen quickly.

"This is a difficult process that faces some political opposition in both places, and it's hard for both governments," The Associated Press quoted him as saying. "It shouldn't wait for other things to get done, or be linked to other things. It should go ahead."

Gordon also said the United States supported what has become known as "football diplomacy" between the two countries and would like to see Armenian President Serge Sarkisian visit Turkey for the Oct. 14 World Cup qualifier between Turkey and Armenia.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül attended a World Cup qualifier in Armenia last year in what was hailed as a breakthrough, but Sarkisian has said he'll only go to the game in Turkey if there's progress toward opening the border. Gordon said Sarkisian should attend the match regardless. "It would be a good sign and further evidence of the two countries coming together if he went to the football match."

Meanwhile, Richard Lugar, U.S. senator for Indiana and member of the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, said Tuesday that the protocols to be signed by Turkey and Armenia were "historical agreements" for both countries as well as the world. Speaking to the Anatolia news agency after a conference in Washington, D.C., Lugar said an undesirable debate had been going on between Turkey and Armenia for a long time.

“I hope that there would not be any obstacle before boosting relations between Turkey and Armenia,” Lugar said. “I am hopeful that the sub-committee to be established by the two countries would contribute to the solution of a disagreement on the incidents of 1915.”

Compiled from AA and AP stories by the Daily News staff.