Armenia wants to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey without any preconditions, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Monday, indicating that the country might attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
Speaking at a press conference, he said: "Our special representatives have met. If the process continues like this, it is highly possible that Armenia will participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. It would be irrational to miss a chance to continue meetings."
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum will be held on March 11-14 in Antalya province, under the motto "Recoding Diplomacy" and will be attended by several heads of states, ministers, academicians and members of the press.
The gathering, where the most important regional and global issues on the world's agenda will be discussed in a solution-oriented platform, will provide leaders, politicians, prominent academics, thinkers, opinion leaders, diplomats and business people an opportunity to discuss international issues from a diplomatic perspective.
After a 1 1/2 hour meeting recently in Moscow, the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministries published the same statement hailing the talks and agreeing to "continue negotiations without preconditions." Turkey aims for the next meeting to be held either in Turkey or Armenia, sources said.
Former Ambassador to the United States Serdar Kılıç was named as the Turkish special envoy on Dec. 15, 2021, to discuss steps toward normalization with neighboring Armenia. Three days later, Armenia appointed its special representative, deputy parliamentary speaker Ruben Rubinyan.
"In the past we have not been successful and we have to use this experience," Pashinian said.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic or commercial ties for three decades, and the talks are the first attempt to restore links since a 2009 peace accord. That deal was never ratified and ties have remained tense.
The neighbors are at odds over various issues, primarily the 1915 incidents and Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
With their borders closed to one another, Turkey and Armenia have no direct trade routes. Indirect trade has risen marginally since 2013 but was just $3.8 million (TL 51.2 million) in 2021, according to official Turkish data.
Relations between Armenia and Turkey have historically been complicated. Turkey’s position on the events of 1915 is that Armenians lost their lives in eastern Anatolia after some sided with the invading Russians and revolted against the Ottoman forces. The subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties, with massacres by militaries and militia groups from both sides increasing the death toll.
Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as "genocide" but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
Armenia, Azerbaijan peace deal
Pashinian also noted that the signing of a peace agreement with Azerbaijan is on the agenda.
"Such an agreement must be signed but this document has to be formed as a result of negotiations. Armenia is ready for these negotiations."
Turkey has been putting heavy emphasis on creating enhanced cooperation and integration in the region following the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Clashes erupted in September 2020 between the former Soviet republics when the Armenian Army launched attacks on Azerbaijani civilians and forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements. Turkey staunchly supported Azerbaijan in its fight.
During the 44-day conflict, which ended in a truce on Nov. 10, 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages in Nagorno-Karabakh from almost three decades of occupation.
The two countries also closely cooperate within the scope of the Organization of Turkic States and establish the 3+3 Caucasus platform, which envisages further integration and cooperation in the region.
Ankara has made frequent calls for a six-nation platform comprising of Turkey, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia for permanent peace, stability and cooperation in the region, saying it would be a win-win initiative for all regional actors in the Caucasus.
The first meeting took place in Russia, without the participation of Georgia, which announced it would not take part in the next round, expected to take place in Turkey.