Armenia and Turkey to jointly assess technical requirements for border crossing by Gyumri-Kars railway

YEREVAN, October 18. /ARKA/. Based on the joint assessment of the bridge between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia has already finalized the construction and technical equipment of the Margara border checkpoint on the Armenia-Turkey border, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said today at the 3+3 meeting of foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Turkey in Istanbul, the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.

Mirzoyan also said that Armenia nd Turkey have already agreed to jointly assess the technical requirements for the border crossing by the Gyumri-Kars railway.

‘This comes to complement already implemented decisions on the establishment of direct flights between Armenia and Turkiye and reciprocally lifting bans for air cargo trade. The operation of the Gyumri-Kars railway between Armenia and Turkey, along with the railway connection between Armenia and Azerbaijan, will immediately provide an effective link between the Persian Gulf, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and the Mediterranean, Mirzoyan said.

He said with this vision in mind, Armenia has proposed to Azerbaijan modalities of relaunching Armenian rail infrastructure, simplifying border crossing and customs procedures and ensuring some additional security mechanisms with full respect for the sovereignty and jurisdiction of both countries. 

Mirzoyan also reiterated that Armenia is sincerely interested and has already demonstrated numerously its commitment to contributing to the development of regional connectivity and strengthening interdependencies with its neighbors based on the principles of the UN Charter, particularly sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of internationally recognized borders and political independence. -0-