Start Of Direct Trade Between Türkiye, Armenia Would Be Win-Win: Foreign Ministry

Direct trade between the neighbors of Türkiye and Armenia, long estranged but now seeking rapprochement, would be a "win-win" for both sides, according to a high-level Turkish Foreign Ministry official.

Speaking to a group of journalists, the official, who declined to be named, said trade between Türkiye and Armenia currently goes indirectly through neighboring Georgia and is worth $230 million, with approximately 15,000 trucks making the journey annually.

"If both parties can ensure the evolving of relations to a positive point by showing the necessary flexibility, this will be a win-win for both countries," the official added.

The current process between Türkiye and Armenia is more seen as a "trust-building process" rather than a normalization process for both sides, the diplomat said, stressing that both sides have adopted an approach of taking confidence-building steps, with each step supporting the next, and not setting great expectations that may cause major disappointment.

The official added that Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kilic and Armenian Deputy Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan, the special envoys for reconciliation appointed last December by both sides, agreed to continue the process step by step.

"The current situation is not the desired picture in Turkish-Armenian relations and it is necessary to make an effort to evolve this picture into the desired one," the official added.

Confidence-building measures

On the confidence-building steps, the official said during their bilateral meeting on July 1, the special representatives agreed on two concrete proposals.

Stressing that the agreement by the envoys is not "the signing of a protocol" but rather reflects their agreement on two confidence-building measures to be taken in the coming days, the official added that they agreed to start work on realizing the confidence-building steps.

"It was written in a way not to slow down the process, but to avoid disappointments arising from excessive expectations in case there may be some problems experienced amid the process," the official added.

Expressing optimism in the next meeting set for September, the official said there are technical steps to be taken by authorities of the two countries, adding that there are many technical details.

"These (details) should only be determined by the experts of that subject coming together," the high-level official said, adding that each side is doing its own "homework" towards the next steps, identifying "the missing procedures or documents, determining the technical details needed."

"We hope for relevant authorities of each countries to come together, hopefully in September, without too much delay, and from there on we can be at a point that would enable exchange of views on technical issues and ensure quick implementation of the process."

The official also stressed that the situation on the ground is very different than anticipated from afar, pointing to the difficulties of renovating the infrastructure at border gates amid winter conditions.

"One foot of the historical Silk Road Bridge at the Ani Ruins is in Armenia and the other is in Türkiye," in the Kars province, the official added, saying that it was destroyed by Russian soldiers during the 1877-1878 Ottoman-Russian War, also known as the '93 war, based on the year 1293 in the Islamic calendar.

Stressing that repairing the historic bridge would be a "serious confidence-building step," the official added: "For all this to be done, the physical conditions must also be suitable. Such a thing can't be tried during the winter months."

The first round of normalization talks was held in Moscow on Jan. 14, where both parties agreed to continue negotiations without any preconditions, according to a statement released after the meeting.

The Turkish and Armenian envoys met for the second time in Vienna on Feb. 24, and then on May 3 in the same city.

Also, a historic bilateral meeting took place between the foreign ministers of Türkiye and Armenia on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on the Turkish Riviera on March 12.

As part of the efforts, Türkiye and Armenia also resumed commercial flights as of Feb. 2 after a two-year hiatus.

On third-country citizens crossing the Armenian-Turkish border, the official said it this expected to take a long time due to the infrastructure of regions where the border gates are located.

The diplomat mentioned the risks posed by the physical conditions on the ground. "The picture on the ground is very different. There are some things needed to be done by the Armenian side as well. There is a bridge in Alican, which is 178 meters long and was built in the 1940s. We don't know if the bridge could carry buses."

Following meeting of relevant authorities, Turkish and Armenian special representatives will discuss the next confidence-building steps, according to the official.

Türkiye and Armenia must hold talks in a firm manner by considering the realities on the ground, and no disappointment shall be caused in either public due to excessive expectations.

"After the decision (allowing third-country citizens to cross into Armenia via Türkiye) was taken, people on the Armenian side have begun to turn their homes into boutique hotels and restaurants. There is a serious expectation. This situation should not turn into disappointment," the official stressed.

Goal is regional permanent peace, stability

The parties assessed the reports in Armenian media about Azerbaijan's also being a part of the Türkiye-Armenia normalization process, said the official, who pointed out that the positive or negative effects of regional processes are a strategic reality.

For this reason, the official stated, positive steps in Türkiye-Armenia relations aim to affect other regional processes.

Türkiye's goal, the diplomat said, is not only to normalize relations with Armenia or ties between Azerbaijan-Armenia, but to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region. "Such a result must be achieved so that it contributes to the establishment of permanent stability in the region."

On trade, the official emphasized that it is necessary to for Türkiye and Armenia to have direct trade relations, also mentioning the effects it would have on Armenia's economy.

"We need to look at the effects of the process on the economies of the two countries in the future, not the conditions of the day. There are (Armenian) cities such as Yerevan and Gyumri on the other side of the border. If we ensure that both sides evolve to a positive point by providing the necessary flexibility, it will be a win-win for both countries," the diplomat asserted.

The Foreign Ministry official further said that the phone call between Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on July 11 was "positive."

Affirming that Türkiye and Armenia are not hostile lands, the official emphasized that the representatives of the normalization process could easily visit both countries.

The high-level official pointed out that the opening of the Zangezur corridor could create new alternatives in the region in terms of communication channels, adding that the positive outcome of this could also have a positive effect on Türkiye.

Zangezur was part of Azerbaijan, but in the 1920s, the Soviets gave the region to Armenia. After this move, Azerbaijan lost its direct overland route with Nakhchivan.

Azerbaijan has focused on projects in the Zangezur corridor which will include motorways and rail lines. Baku and Moscow will also negotiate for the construction of a 43-kilometer (26.7-mile) railway in the region. Russia has railway properties in Armenia.

The senior official also said Ankara insists on holding the next round of talks either in Armenia or Türkiye, stressing that a meeting in a third country is not meaningful, and emphasized that the process is progressing extremely well and constructively.

Armenia expects some concrete and advanced steps to be taken for the next meeting to be held in Türkiye or Armenia, according to the official.

The diplomat further said the mutual talks between Türkiye and Armenia are very important, and that discussing some issues at this stage may not have a positive effect.

As the Türkiye-Armenia normalization process is ongoing, there is a great interest, especially from Europe, on it, the official said, in fact more than for the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process, due to the positive effect it will have in the region.

"There is a need for permanent peace and stability in the region," the official stressed.

Regarding the perception of Armenian public on normalization with Türkiye, the official said it is very positive and that the Armenian people have had enough of the conflicts and expect political stability, thus they have great expectation from the talks.

The official stated that those who are really opposed to the process are the Armenian diaspora, which, he however said, is not a homogeneous structure.

On clearing of mines at the border, the official said the efforts are being carried out as part of the Ottawa Convention -- a treaty that bans the use, stockpiling and production of landmines, -- and that it may contribute to the normalization process in the future.

Regarding the recent tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the official said: "It is necessary to look at how this (normalization) process could contribute to preventing such tensions." -