Closed Turkey-Armenia border interstate issue – Stoltenberg

The closed border between Turkey and Armenia is an interstate issue subject only to the two countries’ consideration, the NATO secretary general said today on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Alliance 62nd session in Istanbul (Turkey).

Jens Stoltenberg made the remark in response to Karen Karapetyan, the head of the Armenian delegation, who highlighted Turkey’s non-constructive policies complicating also the country’s EU accession process.

Refraining from any comment or opinion, Stoltenberg said only that any decision to open the border can be agreed by and between the two countries’ governments.

He also slammed the Armenian delegate's question as “provocative”.

In an earlier speech delivered at the summit, Nahapetyan lashed out at the Turkish government for a continuing “support to terrorist organizations”. His statement angered Mevlut Chavushoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, who criticized Armenia for “being unfair”.