Türkiye's envoy highlights Armenia's positive stance on border reopening

ANKARA

Armenia shows willingness to reopen its border with Türkiye, but some technical preparations remain before progress can be made, Türkiye's special envoy for normalization with Armenia stated on Thursday.

Ambassador Serdar Kılıç, after meeting with Iğdır Governor Ercan Turan in the border province, spoke to reporters ahead of his trip to Armenia, noting ongoing work with his Armenian counterpart on key matters.

"We'll assess these initiatives, verify past efforts and explore future steps to boost economic ties for both nations, particularly in this area," Kılıç said.

He stressed the value of the Zangezur Corridor, which would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia.

"This route holds key importance not just for Türkiye-Armenia relations but for access to Central Asia and Turkic states," Kılıç explained, voicing hopes to activate it soon to aid economies in border regions like Iğdır and Kars.

Kılıç noted Armenia's favorable view, citing their recent statement: "They said today, 'We are ready to open the border.' Naturally, they support measures that serve mutual interests. Certain projects require technical groundwork first, but intentions align positively."

The envoy and his team planned to enter Armenia through the Alican Border Gate in Iğdır for discussions in Yerevan.