US State Department on Ban of Armenian Flights Through Turkey to Third Countries

The US State Department has expressed its concern regarding Turkey's decision to suspend flight permissions for Armenian airlines.

"The United States strongly supports the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations, which would be beneficial for the entire region. We have taken note of Turkey's announcement with disappointment regarding the suspension of flight permissions for Armenian airlines through its territory. Previous agreements between the two countries on the restoration of air communication have been an important measure for building trust. We sincerely hope that Turkey and Armenia will be able to continue strengthening economic ties and open transport communications," the State Department stated in response to a query from ‘News’.

It should be noted that today, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced that Turkey would not allow the passage of aircraft and private jets through its territory, "as long as provocations from Armenia against Turkey and Azerbaijan continue." Meanwhile, the Armenian Civil Aviation Committee stated that it had not received any official notification regarding the closure of airspace from Turkey.

Earlier, it was reported that on April 29, Ankara revoked the permission previously granted to Flyone Armenia for flights to Europe through Turkish airspace without prior notice, justifying that decision by the opening of a monument dedicated to the heroes of the “Nemesis” operation in Yerevan, which Ankara called a “provocation.”