A border crossing between Turkey and Armenia could open at the beginning of next year.
Journalist Nihat Aydın, who operates in Turkey's Ağrı province bordering Armenia, informed Modern.az about this.
He noted that Turkey-Armenia relations, whether on a political or other level, as well as at the level of ordinary citizens, are identical to Azerbaijan's stance against Armenia.
The Turkish journalist states that the Alican gate on the border with Armenia will open in January 2026. According to him, preparatory work is underway at the crossing point.
Nihat Aydın emphasized that the Azerbaijani and Turkish peoples are brothers: “Our relations with Armenia have not been good until today. Even after the Alican gate opens, a friendly relationship cannot be established quickly. This will require decades. Azerbaijan is our brother with whom we share a language. We have no common values with Armenia.”
The journalist noted that after the liberation of Karabakh, Pashinyan also acknowledged Turkey's greatness. It is no coincidence that the Armenian government has removed the depiction of Mount Ağrı from its official documents, including stamps on passports.
The journalist, not ruling out the possibility of economic ties after the border opening, pointed out that the Alican crossing was closed shortly after its construction – in 1993, and the reason was the Karabakh events.
However, Şamil Ayrım, Chairman of the Turkish Parliament's Friendship Group with Azerbaijan, told our website that the date for the opening of the Turkey-Armenia border is not yet determined, and this is an issue related to Azerbaijan.
He emphasized that some decisions were made in the August 8 agreement in the USA concerning Karabakh and the Zangezur corridor. This agreement led to a new, positive turning point towards peace in the region. Although the dissolution of the Minsk Group has been realized, the work intended for implementation still remains. Appropriate changes must be made to the Armenian constitution:
“Currently, the process of normalization of Turkey-Azerbaijan-Armenia relations is underway. The issue of opening the borders between Turkey and Armenia is a subject of discussion. Our official representatives dealing with these matters have held several talks with the Armenian side. However, there is no precise agreement on the date when the crossing points will open. This will be resolved within the framework of Azerbaijan's interests. At the same time, the future relationship between Azerbaijan and Armenia is decisive in the opening of the border.”
Ş. Ayrım also states that currently, the Turkish side has completed the necessary technical and construction work for the opening of borders with Armenia. At the same time, similar work is being carried out in the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia:
“It is a geographical fact that Turkey borders Armenia. After the opening of the borders, it is naturally possible to establish economic ties. Today, Turkish products are transported to Armenia via a transit country. Why not establish direct trade relations? This is more necessary for Armenia, as it faces regional difficulties. If Russia provided its energy and security until today, this is no longer the case. Economic hardship has forced the Armenian population to emigrate.”
The chairman of the friendship group noted that there will be elections in Armenia next year. Pashinyan's victory is necessary for Turkey: "Another political figure replacing him could have an undesirable impact on the positively developing Azerbaijan-Armenia relations. The prospects of mutual gestures shown after the war could be lost."
Javid Zahidoglu
