AZE.US
The possible opening of the Turkey-Armenia border will be decided in coordination with Azerbaijan, according to Javid Valiyev, head of the foreign policy department at the Center of Analysis of International Relations.
Valiyev said recent statements by Turkish officials suggest that preparations are underway for a possible opening of the border. But he noted that different views still exist in Ankara on how and when such a move should happen.
For Azerbaijan, the issue is not simply a bilateral matter between Turkey and Armenia. It is tied to the wider post-war order in the South Caucasus, the peace process between Baku and Yerevan, and the future of regional transport routes.
That is why Ankara is unlikely to make a final decision without taking Azerbaijan’s position into account. Turkey remains Azerbaijan’s closest strategic ally, and Armenian-Turkish normalization is being viewed through the broader regional framework that emerged after the 2020 war.
The issue was discussed during a roundtable dedicated to President Ilham Aliyev’s recent remarks in Zangilan. Members of parliament, experts and political analysts took part in the discussion, exchanging views on regional developments and the peace agenda.
Participants said Aliyev’s remarks in Zangilan carried clear messages about Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, historical memory and long-term regional strategy.
For Armenia, the opening of the border with Turkey would be an important step toward reducing its economic and transport isolation. But for Baku, the process cannot move separately from real progress on a peace agreement, the opening of regional communications and respect for Azerbaijan’s interests.
The message from Baku is clear: the door to Armenian-Turkish normalization may open, but the political key will not be held by Ankara and Yerevan alone. Azerbaijan remains central to the formula.
AZE.US