News - Ruben Rubinyan: Armenia is ready to normalize relations with Turkey, to unblock communications

Armenia is ready even now to normalize relations with Turkey and unblock communications. Ruben Rubinyan, deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament and special representative of Armenia for the normalization of relations with Turkey, on Friday stated this at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. "If Serdar [Kilic, the special representative of Turkey for the normalization of relations with Armenia] agrees, we can announce it today. I hope you agree, and this forum will become historic. In July 2022, Serdar and I announced that in the summer of 2023 we would open the [Armenia-Turkey] land border to citizens of third countries, and then to diplomatic passport holders. Sadly, this has not happened yet. The entire infrastructure for this is ready on the Armenian side," Rubinyan said. He noted that he made such a proposal because he feels that Turkey cannot go further. "But if the two countries want the normalization and reconciliation of relations, the people of the two countries should communicate with each other. Isolation reinforces historical stereotypes and is not based on the interests of each side," added the deputy speaker of the Armenian legislative body. Rubinyan recalled that during last year’s devastating earthquake in Turkey, the borders of the two countries were temporarily reopened to provide and receive humanitarian aid; and this, according to him, was a touching moment. "We should be able to [re]open the borders not only at the time of tragedy, but also to [re]open the borders at a happy, favorable time. I see no reason to keep the border with Turkey closed," added the deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament.