Armenia–Türkiye normalisation advances through coordination with Baku TRT World article

The long-stalled process of normalisation between Armenia and Türkiye appears to be gaining momentum, with talks increasingly shaped by coordination with Baku. Caliber.Az highlights the most insightful parts of a TRT World article covering this historic development.

A Turkish delegation led by Ankara’s Special Representative for the Normalization of Relations with Armenia Serdar Kilic is set to enter Armenia via the Alican border crossing in eastern Türkiye, marking the second official crossing of diplomats across the land border to hold talks.

During Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territories in the First Karabakh War in the 1990s, Türkiye cut off trade and diplomatic relations with Yerevan and closed its land border in 1993

In 2020, during the 44-day war, with Türkiye’s support, Azerbaijan regained its occupied territories in the Karabakh region and elsewhere from Armenian forces, contributing to a reduction in tensions between Baku and Yerevan.

Most recently, Armenian leader Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met at the White House, where they signed three key memoranda of understanding, which many experts see as a prelude to a lasting peace treaty between the two nations.

Easing Azerbaijan-Armenia tensions has also created a rising possibility of normalisation between the Turkish and Armenian leaderships, prompting Kilic and his delegation to hold talks with Yerevan.

The talks are expected to achieve a mutual understanding on several issues, including reopening borders and developing trade relations through the implementation of the strategic Zangezur Corridor. 

“Both countries will benefit from a normalisation,” says Murat Ersavci, director of TEPAV’s international research centre, who served Ankara in various capacities as a top Turkish diplomat in many countries, including Australia and Ireland. 

In 2022, Ruben Rubinyan, deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament and Yerevan’s appointed representative for the talks, held his first normalisation meeting with Kılıç in Moscow.

In the first round, both sides exchanged views on the general framework of the process. They agreed that the ultimate goal was full normalisation and that this process would continue without preconditions, according to Ersavci. 

Since then, Kilic’s delegation and his Armenian counterparts held three more meetings in Vienna, and a fifth one took place at the Alican/Margara border crossing between the two states on July 30, 2024.  

Opening borders  

Increasing contacts between the two sides signalled that Ankara and Yerevan are getting closer to a normalisation deal. As a result, this week’s expected meeting between the two delegations at the border crossing is crucial, Ersavci tells TRT World.

“I expect that this border crossing will be opened up in upcoming months. If both states open their respective bordergate, this will lead to an enormous economic revival in border regions in both countries. ”

“I am among people who believe that both sides will reach a positive outcome as a result of these negotiations under Kilic’s delegation,” says the retired Turkish ambassador. 

From this perspective, opening borders is the initial step towards Türkiye-Armenia normalisation, according to Ersavci. He suggests that as a preliminary move, they might choose to open borders to third-country nationals who wish to visit both Armenia and Türkiye, which would boost tourism in both countries. 

From conflict to normalisation

Although both sides still face many obstacles to normalisation, Fuad Chiragov, a Baku-based Azerbaijani expert on Caucasian conflicts, emphasises the importance of reaching this stage between Armenia and Türkiye despite numerous historical grievances. 

“It is important to recall the long road that brought us to this moment and to recognise how this outcome was achieved. The simple answer lies in the consistent synchronization of Türkiye’s and Azerbaijan’s regional policies,” Chiragov tells TRT World. 

Over the past three decades, Azerbaijan and Türkiye have developed a strong alliance, spanning military affairs to economic relations. 

According to Chiragov, energy routes like BTC and increased cooperation on the Zangezur Corridor between Ankara and Baku have ultimately played a decisive role in resolving the conflict involving Azerbaijan and Armenia. 

Taken together, these achievements demonstrate that Türkiye’s policies in the region have been time-tested and effective, Chiragov added. 

“The lessons and principles underpinning this approach must remain a priority for the future.”