5 minute read
Türkiye has continued to advance the process of normalising relations with Armenia, as evidenced by the special representatives, air links, procedures to facilitate the visa regime for official passport holders, trade documents, the railway working group and Washington’s support for the political process.
Hazel Çağan Elbir, a Turkish analyst and expert at the Center for Eurasian Studies, expressed this view online during the APRI Forum 2026 conference.
“Ankara did not wait for perfect trust before opening channels of communication; it built trust by acting. We can say that we have reached a crucial milestone. The South Caucasus has, in fact, seized a unique moment – one that will be significant for generations and perhaps one of the most important periods for the countries of the region.
“The Armenia-Azerbaijan border is taking shape, the peace process has been initiated and set in motion, moving from design to implementation, the transportation of energy resources and cargo has resumed, and Turkish flights to Yerevan have also been planned,” Elbir said.
She added that for a long time there had been no significant developments between Armenia and Türkiye or between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and that this essentially presented an opportunity to view the future as an era of possibilities. According to the analyst, the Armenian Government’s programme, which establishes the establishment of diplomatic relations with Türkiye as official policy, represents accumulated political capital.
“I believe that by taking steps towards the future and positive development among our three countries, there will be a good future for all of us. Therefore, the persistent question is no longer whether Türkiye will deliver results, but whether Armenia will take measures that demonstrate trust towards Azerbaijan and Türkiye,” the Turkish analyst said.
She recalled that the Turkish side maintains the presence of its special envoy in the region, while Armenia currently has no active representative. Armenia’s former representative and envoy for relations with Türkiye, Ruben Rubinyan, is now President of the National Assembly.
“We support the normalisation process, as demonstrated by the work of our representative Serdar Kılıç. Incidentally, on every occasion he refers to the former representative as his counterpart. Türkiye does not seek to be the leading or sole country trying to strengthen its position and influence in the region. Our approach is based on normalising relations and ensuring prosperity and stability,” Elbir said.
She supports the view that there should be no other actors from outside the region.
“External actors should not try to persuade Türkiye to set aside its partner, Azerbaijan. Calling for the Turkish-Armenian border to be opened while disregarding Azerbaijan’s position demonstrates a misunderstanding of both alliance politics and the current situation,” Elbir concluded.
The APRI Forum 2026, which began in Yerevan on September 23, is being held under the theme “Sketching the Architecture of Change”. Politicians, diplomats, representatives of the business community and civil society from Armenia and abroad are taking part in the forum.
During the three-day event, participants will discuss key issues for Armenia, including regional security and foreign policy, connectivity, economic security, digital sovereignty and the development of institutional capacities.