Erdoğan and Armenian prime minister have phone talk

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone talk with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on July 11, the first of this kind of conversation after several years as the two neighbors aim to end decades-old hostilities.

Pashinyan greeted President Erdoğan on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, while the Turkish president congratulated the Armenian prime minister on the upcoming Vardavar Festival.

The two leaders emphasized the importance they attach to the bilateral normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia, which will also contribute to the strengthening of peace and stability in the region, said the presidential communications directorate.

In this context, the two leaders also expressed their expectation that the issues agreed upon in the meetings of the special representatives on July 1 will be implemented soon, said the statement.

Turkish and Armenian officials have agreed to open the land border for third-country citizens visiting both countries as soon as possible, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on July 1.

The fourth meeting of the Special Representatives for the normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia, Ambassador Serdar Kılıç and Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan, took place in Vienna on July 1.

“Envoys for the normalization process between Ankara and Yerevan agreed to enable the crossing of the land border between Türkiye and Armenia by third-country citizens visiting Türkiye and Armenia respectively at the earliest date possible and decided to initiate the necessary process to that end,” the ministry said in a statement.

They agreed on commencing direct air cargo trade between Türkiye and Armenia at the earliest possible date and decided to initiate the necessary process to that effect, said the ministry.

“Furthermore, they discussed other possible concrete steps that can be undertaken towards achieving the ultimate goal of full normalization between their respective countries,” said the statement noting that they reemphasized their agreement to continue the normalization process without preconditions.

Apart from the first meeting that took place in February in Moscow, the Turkish and Armenian special envoys chose to meet in Vienna for the continuation of the joint efforts to establish diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Türkiye and Armenia have not established diplomatic ties since the early 1990s after the latter gained independence. Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territories in Nagorno-Karabakh was the primary reason for Türkiye’s sealing of the borders with Armenia and not establishing normal ties with it.

The normalization process aims to allow the establishment of diplomatic ties, the opening of sealed borders, and starting of economic, trade and transportation projects between the two nations. As part of the confidence-building measures, Türkiye and Armenia resumed charter flights between Istanbul and Yerevan, while Armenia lifted an embargo on Turkish goods.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mizroyan came to Türkiye in March to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where he held a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.