What Will Be the Next Step in the Normalization of Armenian-Turkish Relations? Details from Anadolu

Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' diplomatic sources have provided assessments to the state-run Anadolu news agency regarding the latest situation of meetings and processes aimed at normalizing Turkey-Armenia relations, according to ermenihaber.am.

According to this information, following the fourth meeting of special envoys on July 1, meetings at the expert level involving various structures have been conducted with sincerity along the border between Turkey and Armenia.

It has been noted that technical work continues to implement a decision that enables the movement of citizens of third countries between Turkey and Armenia. Within the framework of these works, Turkish and Armenian officials have jointly sampled from the bridge at the Alijani/Margara border crossing and indicated that the movement of citizens from third countries will gain clarity depending on the condition of the bridge.

It has been reported that other topics may be discussed in the upcoming meetings within the framework of the subsequent process, including the issue of initiating mutual trade between the two countries.

Stating that two specific decisions were made during the fourth meeting held in Vienna on July 1, sources have revealed that, despite a slowdown in momentum compared to previous months, the process between the two countries has not stagnated, and technical issues are currently being discussed between Ankara and Yerevan.

Turkish diplomatic sources have asserted that external interventions in the region can negatively affect all ongoing processes.

Regarding the possibility of resuming trade by land between Turkey and Armenia, sources mentioned that there was an annual circulation of 160,000 tons of commercial products between Armenia and Turkey in 1993, and if the railway route between the two countries is reopened, this could potentially double.

Sources have indicated that there is currently no date for the fifth meeting on normalization, stating that mutual steps need to be taken for this to occur, and that future meetings will take place either in Turkey or Armenia.

Referring to the direct flights that began between Turkey and Armenia on February 2, diplomatic sources said: “Mutual flights are going quite well. Contact between people has started. Individuals can freely travel back and forth. There have been aspects of the process that are not visibly apparent. Turkish citizens were applying for visas via Tbilisi due to the lack of access to Armenia. Now an internet connection has been established; previously, there was no possibility to connect via the internet with Armenia. The internet of Armenia was closed to all of Turkey. It has now been opened. Consular matters are progressing extremely well. Some humanitarian steps that are not visibly apparent are also being taken.”

Sources have also noted that eliminating obstacles to direct air freight transport as a result of the ongoing meetings between Turkey and Armenia will also significantly contribute to economic relations between the two countries.