The Agreement is Fixed at the Political Level: Rubinayan on Armenia-Turkey Relations

“In such complex processes, one of the most important things is to quickly implement the first agreements,” said Ruben Rubinayan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Armenia's special representative in the negotiations, in an interview with Azatutyun when discussing the Armenian-Turkish talks, the agreements reached, and the phone conversation between Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Erdogan.

“If they are implemented quickly, it greatly helps to strengthen trust; if they are not implemented, on the contrary, it greatly undermines that trust,” the Armenian envoy emphasized.

Below we present a segment of the interview, with the full version available in the video.

“Azatutyun”: What is the significance of the Pashinyan-Erdogan phone conversation yesterday? Would you assert that the process is entering a substantive phase?

Ruben Rubinayan: First, let’s go back a little. At the last meeting with Turkey’s special representative, we finally managed to reach concrete agreements, specifically, to create an opportunity for citizens of third countries to cross the land border and to establish direct air cargo transport. These are, of course, positive agreements, but in such complex processes, the most important thing is to quickly implement the first agreements. If they are not implemented quickly, it undermines trust. I hope that these agreements will be implemented very soon.

“Azatutyun”: What does very soon mean? In the coming months or days?

Ruben Rubinayan: I think it would be logical for it to happen in the coming months. The agreement is fixed at the political level; now the representatives of the respective agencies need to work on the technical details.

“Azatutyun”: Is there a process started for that?

Ruben Rubinayan: Not at this moment, but it should start soon.

Regarding the telephone call between the leaders of the two countries, it signifies what it signifies: after a long break, the leaders of Armenia and Turkey had a phone conversation and discussed what is mentioned in the widely circulated statement, that is, they discussed the overall normalization process and emphasized the importance of quickly implementing the agreements we have reached, as well as discussing this overall process.

“Azatutyun”: Mr. Rubinayan, is there a mediator involved, including in organizing this phone call?

Ruben Rubinayan: No.

“Azatutyun”: Presumably, you and Serdar Kilic also prepared yesterday's phone conversation. Is a meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Turkey also being discussed?

Ruben Rubinayan: At this moment, there is no such agreement.

“Azatutyun”: Mr. Rubinayan, you have repeatedly stated that the success of the process depends on Turkey's constructiveness and political will. Is that present?

Ruben Rubinayan: Naturally, I continue to hold that opinion, and there is a very simple explanation for this: Armenia is ready to have open borders with Turkey and establish diplomatic relations with Turkey as early as tomorrow. If that does not happen tomorrow, and Armenia is ready for it, it means that its implementation depends on Turkey's political will at this moment, because Armenia evidently has that political will.

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