Turkish President Erdogan: it is important that Armenia correctly assess the chance for peace in the region
Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Afolabi Sotunde / Reuters
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave advice to Armenia for long-term peace on the eve of the meeting of the countries' special representatives. He expressed his opinion at a meeting with the ambassadors of the EU countries at the Çankaya residence in Ankara, RIA Novosti reports.
According to the Turkish President, it is important for Yerevan to properly assess the chance to improve relations.
“Following Azerbaijan's liberation of the lands occupied by Armenia, Ankara began the process of normalizing relations with Yerevan. In order for the steps taken to yield the expected results, it is important that Armenia correctly assesses the chance for long-term peace in the region,” Erdogan explained.
The first meeting of the special representatives of Armenia and Turkey will take place on Friday, January 14, in Moscow. Armenia's special representative is the deputy chairman of the Armenian parliament Ruben Rubinyan, on the part of Turkey – the former ambassador to the United States Serdar Kilych.
Earlier, the chairman of the board of directors of Flyone Armenia airline from Armenia, Aram Ananyan, said that the Turkish authorities allowed their planes to fly to Istanbul. The first flight of Armenian airlines from Yerevan is scheduled for February 2.
There have been no diplomatic relations between Yerevan and Ankara since 1993. Turkey closed its land border with Armenia in protest against the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, which escalated after the collapse of the USSR. In addition, Ankara still does not recognize the fact of the genocide of the Armenian people, which the Armenians systematically seek from the governments of the main world powers.
