Armenia-Turkey border crossing points ready for border opening and movement. Vahagn Khachaturyan

Armenia is doing everything possible to open its borders with Turkey and establish diplomatic relations.

According to Armenpress, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan made the statement during a press conference summarizing his official visit to the Czech Republic, in response to a journalist’s question about the process of normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations and the prospects for opening the border.

According to the President, the necessary work has been carried out at the border crossing points, and they are ready to facilitate the movement of people, goods, and vehicles.

“We are doing everything to ensure that the borders are actually opened and diplomatic relations are established. There has been a diplomatic pause, and we are trying to find a solution that would not only advance Armenian-Turkish relations but also contribute to establishing overall peace in the region,” Khachaturyan said.

According to the President, the process of Armenian-Turkish normalization is also being considered in the context of improving relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and establishing peace in the region.

Khachaturyan emphasized that Armenia is still ready to open its border with Turkey, while the work carried out on border infrastructure makes it possible to accommodate the movement of people, goods, and vehicles.

The President recalled that Armenia has put forward a number of proposals concerning the phased opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. These include opening the border to holders of diplomatic passports and citizens of third countries.

Among the practical examples of Armenian-Turkish cooperation, the Armenian President mentioned the joint restoration of the historic Ani Bridge and the Armenia-Turkey Business Forum held in Yerevan.

“This also demonstrates that there are no restrictions on our cooperation, but it is necessary to establish diplomatic relations and open the border,” Khachaturyan emphasized.

According to him, the same approach applies to relations with Azerbaijan as well, while one of the issues currently under discussion is the timeframe for carrying out the processes jointly.

He emphasized that practical changes have already taken place in the trade relations between the two countries. According to the President, railway trade has enabled Armenia to use the Kars-Akhalkalaki route.

According to Khachaturyan, Armenian businesspeople are also noticing the changes that have taken place. These developments provide an opportunity to strengthen economic ties in a new format, increase trade volumes, and create an alternative market for Armenia.