Türkiye, Armenia vow to normalize relations without preconditions

Türkiye and Armenia are committed to normalizing relations “without preconditions,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a phone call Tuesday.

“Both leaders emphasized their political will for the complete normalization of relations between Türkiye and Armenia without any preconditions,” Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said on X.

Cumhurbaşkanımız Sayın Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 18 Haziran 2024 tarihinde Ermenistan Başbakanı Nikol Paşinyan’la bir telefon görüşmesi gerçekleştirmiştir.

Görüşmede Başbakan Paşinyan Sayın Cumhurbaşkanımızın Kurban Bayramı'nı kutlamış; Sayın Cumhurbaşkanımız da Başbakan Paşinyan’ı…

— T.C. İletişim Başkanlığı (@iletisim) June 18, 2024

Progress in ongoing talks

The directorate added that Erdogan and Pashinyan underlined the importance of continuing talks between the two sides’ special representatives and confirmed the points that the two sides have agreed on so far.

During the phone call, Pashinyan extended his greetings for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha to Erdogan, who conveyed his best wishes to the Armenian premier for the upcoming Transfiguration of Jesus holiday.

The Turkish president also expressed his condolences to Pashinyan over recent floods in northern Armenia.

“The leaders also welcomed the ongoing dialogue between senior officials of Türkiye and Armenia, and discussed recent developments in the region and the international agenda,” the statement concluded.

Historical context

The relationship between Türkiye and Armenia has been historically strained, particularly due to the events of 1915, which Armenia and many historians consider a genocide, a term Türkiye rejects. Efforts to normalize relations previously included protocols signed in 2009, which ultimately were not ratified.

Ankara has been working to mend ties with several regional countries, emphasizing the need for enhanced cooperation. Within this scope, steps have also been taken with Armenia, especially following the Karabakh war between Baku and Yerevan.

Since then, both Russia and Azerbaijan have voiced support for closer ties between Türkiye and Armenia, viewing this as part of a broader regional normalization effort.

The land border between the 2 neighbors, closed since 1993 following clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, was briefly opened in February 2023 to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid after devastating earthquakes in Türkiye’s southeast.

Türkiye and Armenia restored diplomatic contacts in 2021 after years of suspension. In January 2022, special envoys from Ankara and Yerevan began talks to fully restore ties “without preconditions.”