Armenia's Deputy Speaker of Parliament Says They Are Ready to Open Borders with Turkey but Waiting on Turks

Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia and the special representative in the process of normalizing relations with Turkey, announced that preparations are underway for a new meeting between Armenian and Turkish representatives. This announcement marks another step in the ongoing efforts to improve ties with Turkey by the current Armenian government.

Rubinyan informed reporters that the Margara Bridge on the Armenian-Turkish border has been fully repaired and is now ready for use. This bridge plays a crucial role in the agreement reached in July 2022, which aims to open the land border between Armenia and Turkey for citizens of third countries and holders of diplomatic passports. 

"On the Armenian side, we have completed all necessary infrastructure work, and the Margara border checkpoint is ready for operation," Rubinyan stated. However, he noted that there have been no corresponding steps from Turkey to implement this agreement yet, expressing hope that Turkey will take the necessary actions soon.

Reflecting on the ongoing dialogue, Rubinyan mentioned that while there have been no official meetings recently, informal talks continue. He referenced the last official meeting, which took place at the end of February in Antalya, Turkey, where the foreign ministers of both countries convened. During the same period, Rubinyan also met with his Turkish counterpart.

Despite the lack of recent formal meetings, Rubinyan confirmed that there is an agreement in place for a new meeting between the representatives of Armenia and Turkey. However, the exact date and location for this meeting have not yet been determined.

The repair of the Margara Bridge and the readiness of the border checkpoint are developments in the normalization process between Armenia and Turkey. These steps demonstrate the Armenian government’s commitment to improving bilateral relations and facilitating easier cross-border movement. 

While progress has been made on the Armenian side, the lack of action from Turkey remains a challenge. We would like to remind our readwers that Turkey continues to deny the Armenian Genocide and its president continues to threaten Armenians on behalf of Azerbaijan. And still, the Armenian government hopes that Turkey will soon take the necessary steps to match Armenia's readiness and commitment to this process.