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Ankara, Yerevan reaffirm commitment to normalize relations — Turkish foreign ministry

This meeting was unique in that it took place on the border between the two countries, with part of the talks being held on the Armenian side and the other part - on the Turkish side of the border

ISTANBUL, July 30. /TASS/. Turkey and Armenia have pledged to continue the process of normalizing their relations, the Turkish foreign ministry said after a meeting between the two countries’ envoys.

"On July 30, special envoys for the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia, Ambassador Serdar Kilic and deputy speaker of the Armenian National Assembly (unicameral parliament - TASS) Ruben Rubinyan, held a fifth meeting at the Alikan-Margara crossing on the border between the two countries. They confirmed the agreements that were reached during the previous meetings. Apart from that, they agreed to assess technical requirements needed to ensure the operation of the Akyaka-Akhurik railway crossing <…>, and to simplify mutual visa issuance procedures for holders of diplomatic and official passports. The envoys once again reiterated their intention to continue the normalization process without preliminary conditions, with an eye towards the ultimate goal of complete normalization between the two countries," it said.

This meeting was unique in that it took place on the border between the two countries, with part of the talks being held on the Armenian side and the other part - on the Turkish side of the border. Previous meetings were held in Moscow and Vienna.

Despite the shared border, Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations. In 2009 in Zurich, the foreign ministers of the two nations signed protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and on the principles of relations, but these documents remained unratified.

On March 1, 2018, Armenia announced that it was nullifying the protocols. In 2021, Armenia and Turkey appointed special representatives for settlement issues.

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