Normalisation of relations between Yerevan and Ankara could contribute to normalisation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations - Mirzoyan
YEREVAN, January 8 /ARKA/. Armenia and Turkey are ready to establish diplomatic relations and open borders, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said at a press conference today.
‘Unfortunately, and this is a fact, the Turkish side continues to link its relations with Armenia to the normalisation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. I am convinced that the settlement of relations between Armenia and Turkey could significantly contribute to or influence the normalisation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. There is no such perception in Turkey so far,’ he said.
At the same time, the Minister noted that the dialogue should continue and reminded that he discussed the international situation and regional issues with his Turkish counterpart in a telephone call before the New Year.
There have been no relations between Armenia and Turkey since 1991, and the state border has been closed since 1993 on Ankara's initiative.
In December 2021, Armenia and Turkey appointed special representatives to normalise relations. On 1 March 2024, at a meeting in Antalya, Armenian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Ararat Mirzoyan and Hakan Fidan reaffirmed their readiness to achieve full normalisation of relations and exchanged views on possible concrete steps in this direction.
On 24 September 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met at the Turkish House in New York and stressed readiness to continue the normalisation process without preconditions and give a new impulse to relations.
In November 2024, representatives of various ministries of Armenia and Turkey met on the Armenian-Turkish border. According to Ruben Rubinyan, Armenia's special representative for negotiations with Turkey, the technical requirements that will allow the Akhurik/Akyaka railway border crossing to be put into operation were considered.
However, Turkey does not hide the fact that Armenian-Turkish reconciliation directly depends on the Armenian-Azerbaijani solution. In early December, Fuat Oktay, chairman of the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, said that Baku's demand for a change in Armenia's constitution and the opening of the so-called ‘Zangezur corridor’ is an important prerequisite for peace. -0-
--
