Rubinyan Details Meeting with Turkey's Special Representative

In the next meeting, Yerevan expects substantial negotiations with Ankara, provided that the agenda is sufficiently substantive and serious. Various meeting venues or formats can be considered, but I believe it is premature to say more on this matter. This was announced by Ruben Rubinyan, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Armenia's special representative in Armenian-Turkish negotiations, during a broadcast on Azatutyun.

According to Rubinyan, general approaches related to the process were discussed during the first meeting with Turkey's special representative in Moscow on January 14. Now, Yerevan is very interested in substantive negotiations.

“Non-substantive negotiations can create a mere impression of imitation; we are interested in resolving real issues. The real issue is primarily the opening of the border. Secondly, the establishment of diplomatic relations. We are doing everything to ensure that the process is substantive, and we expect the Turkish side to show a similar approach,” said Rubinyan.

He assured that there was no discussion about a potential corridor during the first meeting, although prior to the appointment of the representative, Turkish authorities, including at the level of Erdogan, spoke about providing Azerbaijan with a corridor to Nakhichevan through Syunik.

“No, there was no discussion, nor could there have been. Because the Republic of Armenia has repeatedly and unambiguously expressed its position that yes, we are in favor of unblocking all regional communications, but the corridor logic that is being attempted to be promoted is unacceptable to us,” Rubinyan noted.

As for the agenda of Armenian-Turkish negotiations, according to the Armenian representative, the status of Nagorno-Karabakh cannot become a subject of discussion, even though Turkey and Azerbaijan are in agreement on this matter, referring to each other as brotherly states. “In any case, if we want the process to succeed (by we, I mean those states that are interested in our region), it is necessary that all these states be maximally constructive in their positions and not condition the relations with one state on the relations with a third state. In other words, the process should be conducted in a collaborative manner, rather than an excluding one.”

In response to the question of whether the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh's status could re-enter the agenda as long as it remains a topic where Ankara supports Baku, Rubinyan replied, “The issue of Nagorno-Karabakh's status is a topic for discussion in the OSCE Minsk Group co-presidency.”

Regarding Ankara's repeated calls for mutual recognition of territorial integrity as a basis for normalization of relations, Rubinyan did not respond directly: “Have representatives of the Republic of Armenia, meaning the former or current governments, ever made any territorial claims against Turkey? The answer is no. Therefore, there is simply no such issue.”

In response to a clarifying question about whether there is a willingness to at least recognize the current borders of Turkey on a reciprocal basis, Rubinyan commented, “I repeat my question: Can anyone claim that those borders have not been recognized? Where does this claim originate?”