Turkey’s Special Representative Visits Yerevan For Controversial Normalization Talks

Today, Turkey’s special representative for normalization, Serdar Kılıç, arrived in Yerevan for the first time since the Armenian-Turkish negotiations began. He entered Armenia through the Margara checkpoint and was officially received at Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit comes more than three decades after Armenia and Turkey severed diplomatic relations.

Although official details of the meeting remained unclear at first, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia later confirmed that this was the sixth meeting between Armenia’s special representative Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, and Turkish ambassador Serdar Kılıç.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the special representatives reaffirmed the issues previously agreed upon in earlier meetings, aimed at moving forward with the full normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. They discussed implementing the July 1, 2022 agreement on opening border crossings and agreed to accelerate this process.

The sides also decided that the relevant state bodies of both countries will carry out technical studies to restore and put into operation the Gyumri–Kars railway and an electricity transmission line. In addition, they agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of culture and academia. This includes creating scholarship opportunities for university students and working jointly on the restoration of the historic Ani/ Silk Road bridge.

The representatives also agreed to work on enabling commercial airlines to begin flights in different directions starting in the summer of 2026, which would increase the number of routes and flights between the two countries.

Concluding the meeting, the special representatives reaffirmed their commitment to continue the process without any preconditions.

Still, deep concerns remain inside Armenia about the nature of these talks. Before arriving in Yerevan, Kılıç visited Turkey’s Iğdır province, where he raised the issue of the so-called “Zangezur Corridor.” This demonstrates that Turkey and Azerbaijan continue to push dangerous territorial demands, threatening Armenia’s sovereignty and the security of Artsakh.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Youth Union staged a protest near the Government building during Kılıç’s visit. The group denounced the authorities for “accepting Turkish preconditions” and warned that the secrecy surrounding the talks hides concessions that would undermine Armenia.

Despite the optimistic statements made by the Foreign Ministry, skepticism is widespread. Turkey’s long record of hostility toward Armenia, its military and political support for Azerbaijan during the 44-day war, and its refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide cast doubt on Ankara’s sincerity.

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