Türkiye sincere in efforts to normalize ties with Armenia: Diplomatic sources

By Mustafa Deveci

ANKARA (AA) -Ankara is sincere in its efforts to normalize ties with Armenia, according to diplomatic sources.

A year has passed since the first talks for the re-normalization of relations between Türkiye and Armenia. Resuming direct flights between the two countries and removing obstacles to direct air cargo trade have played important roles in the process.

After the Second Karabakh War, which started between Azerbaijan and Armenia in September 2020 and went 44 days, the ice started to again melt between Ankara and Yerevan.

After positive messages from both countries, special representatives were appointed for normalization talks.

Serdar Kilic, Türkiye’s former ambassador to Washington, was appointed special representative. Ruben Rubinyan, deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament, was appointed special representative of the Yerevan administration within the scope of the dialogue process.

Kilic and Rubinyan held their first meeting in Moscow on Jan. 14, 2022, to discuss normalization.

They agreed that negotiations aimed at full normalization should be continued without preconditions.

- Direct flights started

As talks got underway, direct flights between Istanbul and Yerevan resumed Feb. 2.

Kilic and Rubinyan met Feb. 24 in Vienna for a second time where Türkiye and Armenia reiterated their agreement to continue negotiations without preconditions.

- 1st foreign ministers level meeting after 9 years

Another hopeful step came in March

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Mirzoyan met March 12 for the first time in a foreign ministers-level meeting by the two countries in nearly nine years.

The third meeting of the special representatives was May 3 in Vienna where possible steps for concrete progress were discussed.

The fourth meeting, the last between Kilic and Rubinyan, was held July 1 in Vienna. It was agreed that the land border between Türkiye and Armenia should be opened as soon as possible for third-country nationals visiting the two countries. They also agreed that direct air cargo trade should be started as soon as possible.

-Meeting between Turkish president, Armenian premier

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in the capital of the Czech Republic. Erdogan was in Prague to attend the European Political Community meeting on Oct. 6.

As a result of negotiations, it was announced that barriers to direct air cargo transportation would be lifted Jan. 1.

Diplomatic sources evaluated for Anadolu the negotiations for normalization and the latest situation in the process.

- 2 separate meetings held at the level of experts with the participation of various institutions

Diplomatic sources said after the fourth meeting July 1, two separate meetings were held at the level of experts with the participation of various institutions.

They noted technical studies are ongoing to implement the decision to enable the transit of third-country nationals between Ankara and Yerevan.

They added that the core taking of the bridge at the Alican Border Gate was carried out by Turkish and Armenian authorities. The process regarding the passage of third-country citizens will be clarified depending on the status of the bridge.

Some other topics, especially the initiation of mutual trade could be discussed in upcoming talks.

In the fourth meeting, two concrete decisions were taken, and two separate meetings were held at technical levels. Sources said although there was a slowdown in momentum compared to previous months, the process did not stop and technical issues are currently being discussed.

Stressing that outside interventions in the region can harm all processes, sources said Ankara will continue to make efforts not only for Armenia-Türkiye relations but for long-term peace and stability in the region.

"We will continue to do what we have done because we are trying to do this sincerely,” said sources.

Referring to the possibility of the resumption of trade by land, they said there was annual traffic of 160,000 tons of commercial products between the countries in 1993. That could increase exponentially if a railway between the two countries is reopened.

Sources said there is no date for a fifth round of talks but mutual steps should be taken for it to be held and the next talks will be in Türkiye or Armenia.

Regarding direct flights, they said reciprocal flights are going well.

“Human-to-human contact has started,” they said. “A Turkish citizen was applying for a visa through Tbilisi because there was no transportation to Armenia … the internet in Armenia was closed to the whole of Türkiye in the past. Now it is open. Consular affairs are running extremely well. Some humanitarian steps are also being taken that are not visible.”

As a result of negotiations, removing obstacles to direct air cargo trade will contribute significantly to economic relations between the two countries, they said.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar