Armenian Government Ready for Immediate Normalization with Turkey, Says Vice Speaker
At the Yerevan Dialogue 2024 international forum on Tuesday, Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly and special representative for the normalization of relations with Turkey, addressed the longstanding issue of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey. In his speech, Rubinyan clarified that the absence of diplomatic relations is not due to historical disputes, as commonly believed, but rather due to a lack of political will on both sides.
Rubinyan stated that the historical tensions between the two countries have often been cited as the reason for their lack of diplomatic ties. However, he emphasized that Armenian governments have never used history as the main reason for their strategy towards Turkey. Instead, Armenia has consistently expressed its openness to normalizing relations and reopening borders with Turkey.
“Armenia has always been open to normalizing relations and reopening borders with Turkey. We are ready now, too. If our Turkish neighbors show political will, we can have fully normalized relations tomorrow,” Rubinyan said.
He also touched on the broader context of the South Caucasus, a region known for its closed borders and geopolitical complexities involving Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. Rubinyan believes that this period presents a rare opportunity to change the region’s trajectory from one of division to one of cooperation.
“The South Caucasus is at a crossroads,” Rubinyan observed. “We have a historic chance to turn this region from an impasse into a crossroads of peace. Our position is that communications should not be held hostage by geopolitical competition but should be used to shift negative dynamics and build peace and cooperation.”
Rubinyan’s comments reflect Armenian government’s ongoing efforts to improve relations with Turkey and build a more connected and peaceful South Caucasus. His statements suggest that meaningful progress could be made if both countries demonstrate the necessary political will.
Meanwhile, Turkey continues to deny the Armenian Genocide and supports Azerbaijan in its occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).
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