Armenia is ready to open its border with Turkey and establish diplomatic relations “as soon as tomorrow”, Armenian Special Envoy Ruben Rubinyan announced on Thursday, stressing the mutual benefits this could bring to regional peace.
Speaking to reporters, Rubinyan confirmed that Armenia has completed all necessary preparations, restoring the Margara (Alican) checkpoint, and is awaiting action from Ankara.
“We have taken the steps required, the checkpoint is fully operational on our side, and everything is ready for the agreement to be implemented. Now, we’re waiting for Turkey to follow through,” Rubinyan said. He explained that while the Armenia-Turkey normalisation process and the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations are related, they remain two separate diplomatic tracks. “Progress with Turkey could greatly contribute to our peace process with Azerbaijan,” he added.
Rubinyan noted that while an agreement to allow third-country nationals to cross the border had been reached and reaffirmed, it has not yet been enacted. Responding to questions about the delay, he stated, “I can’t speak to the reason for the lack of action from Turkey, but we are clear on our commitment to this agreement and hope to see it fulfilled soon.”
He also shared that officials from both Armenia and Turkey’s relevant ministries plan to meet to discuss the conditions for reopening the Gyumri-Kars railway—a significant step for regional connectivity. While no date has been set for this meeting, Rubinyan emphasised the importance of improving transport links for both countries and the wider region.
