Armenian official describes Erdogan-Pashinyan meeting as positive, productive

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan has characterized the recent meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as conducted in a notably positive atmosphere.

Speaking to Armenian media, Kostanyan confirmed that both parties exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as broader regional developments, Caliber.Az reports.

“The Armenian side assesses the meeting positively,” he stated, highlighting the constructive nature of the dialogue.

Among the key topics addressed was the issue of unblocking regional communications, with both sides underscoring the significance of advancing connectivity and cooperation in the region.

To recall, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Istanbul on June 20 for the first official bilateral visit of an Armenian head of government to Türkiye.

Erdoğan and Pashinyan mainly discussed the peace process and dialogue in the South Caucasus, with the Turkish president stressing the importance of peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

He added that Türkiye supports this process from the standpoint that all parties involved will benefit from the peace agreements and that Ankara will use all its diplomatic capabilities to achieve stability not only in the Caucasus but throughout the region.

The meeting also assessed the steps toward the “normalization process” between both countries.

In 2022, Erdoğan and Pashinian met for the first time at a European forum in Prague.

The following year, the Armenian leader traveled to Ankara to attend the Turkish president’s inauguration for a third term alongside dozens of other heads of state and government.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, also participated in June 20 meeting.

By Vafa Guliyeva