Mirzoyan: Armenia committed to full normalisation of relations with Türkiye

Armenia remains committed to the full normalization of relations with Türkiye, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan affirmed during the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Valletta, Malta.

Mirzoyan highlighted Yerevan's aspirations for the establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of borders, which he believes would significantly contribute to regional security and stability, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

He underscored Armenia's practical efforts toward this goal, including joint assessments for the construction of a bridge between the two nations (potentially the Ani Bridge) and evaluating the infrastructure of the Gyumri-Kars railway. According to Mirzoyan, implementing these agreements would have a positive regional impact.

Negotiations between Armenia and Türkiye for normalizing relations began in December 2021 with the appointment of special representatives — Ruben Rubinyan for Armenia and Serdar Kılıç for Türkiye. Although the sides reached an agreement in July 2022 to open borders to third-country nationals and start direct air cargo transportation, these steps remain pending. This July, further discussions focused on restoring railway connections at the border.

On the sidelines of the OSCE meeting, Mirzoyan also met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that the brief meetings occurred as part of broader diplomatic engagements but did not disclose details of the discussions. Additionally, Mirzoyan held talks with the foreign ministers of Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Ukraine, the Netherlands, and Andorra.

By Tamilla Hasanova