Turkey to develop ties with Akhalkalaki Armenians

The opening of the Aktash checkpoint on the Turkish-Georgian border is expected to bring about positive changes in the Armenian-populated Georgian region of Akhalkalaki, Governor of Ardahan province, Mustafa Tekman, has said.

"With the opening of the Aktash checkpoint our dialogue with the Armenians living in Georgia will become active, because a great number of Armenians live there," Tekman was quoted by the Turkish news agency Anadolu as saying.

"Besides, it will play an important role also in the Armenia-Turkey relations," he added.

Further, Tekman said that today, Ardahan stands out with its good relations with Georgia.

"Ardahan and Georgia hold economic ties. There is even exchange of students. In this sense we have become an important door that links Turkey to the Caucasus," said he.