Dialogue between Armenia and Turkey slowly moving forward –Foreign Minister
YEREVAN, April 15. /ARKA/. The Armenian-Turkish dialogue remains active, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said in an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV.
"Moreover, this dialogue is not limited to the level of the two foreign ministers or special representatives. Other relevant structures are gradually becoming involved in the process. Meetings between various institutions are already taking place," he said.
On April 12, the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Turkey, Ararat Mirzoyan and Hakan Fidan, met on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum to discuss current issues on the bilateral agenda and to exchange views on regional and international developments.
Mirzoyan recalled that the infrastructure of the Margara-Alican land checkpoint had been jointly assessed, and that a similar study had been conducted on the Gyumri-Kars railway.
“A few days ago, representatives from our respective agencies discussed a joint project for the reconstruction of the Ani Bridge. There are also several other initiatives underway. All of this demonstrates that the process, albeit slowly, is moving forward,” he emphasized.
According to the Armenian Foreign Minister, the Armenian side has already assessed the current condition of the Margara checkpoint infrastructure and has completed the reconstruction of its section.
“I specifically mention this to highlight that the process is progressing, and we continue to maintain a stable and active dialogue with our Turkish partners,” he said.
At the same time, Mirzoyan noted that the final goals of the process, full normalization of relations, the establishment of diplomatic ties, and the opening of the border have not yet been achieved.
“This is, of course, partly linked to the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement process. We are convinced that if progress is made in the Armenian-Turkish direction and the border is opened, it could serve as a positive signal for the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization as well,” he added.
On the Armenian-Turkish Dialogue
There have been no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey since 1991, and the state border has remained closed since 1993 at Ankara’s initiative. Key issues include Ankara’s discontent with Armenia’s efforts toward international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
In December 2021, Armenia and Turkey appointed their special envoys for the normalization process Vice Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Ruben Rubinyan and experienced diplomat and former Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. Serdar Kılıç.
On March 12, 2022, during the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, the Foreign Ministers of both countries discussed the way forward and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing normalization without preconditions, with the eventual goal of establishing diplomatic relations and opening the border.
Since January 1, 2023, direct air cargo transportation between Armenia and Turkey has been made possible.
On September 24, 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met at the "Turkish House" in New York, where they reiterated their readiness to continue the normalization process without preconditions and to give new momentum to bilateral relations.
