YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenian foreign minister Ara Aivazian says he doesn’t see any reason why Turkey should continue keeping its border with Armenia closed.

“I think that under the international community’s pressure Turkey will gradually return to a normal process, now there is no reason to apply blockade against Armenia. The blockade was conditioned with the status-quo in Artsakh, which has changed through the use of force. Turkey no longer has any reason to keep the border with Armenia closed,” Aivazian told lawmaker Gor Gevorgyan during parliamentary Questions Time.

He added that the government’s main goal is to do everything to further strengthen the security environment around Armenia and Artsakh. “This isn’t an easy issue. Naturally, as a state, as a society, we must seek to make every effort for the situation to move towards de-escalation. Our diplomacy will make active efforts in order for a favorable environment to exist around us for strengthening Armenia’s security,” he said.

Aivazian also expressed concern over the joint Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises held near the Armenian border in Kars.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan