After Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Armenia the expectations that the border will open have risen in Turkey.  

According to Zaman, certain intensification of activities is registered in the region after Clinton’s visit. The movement is expected both in the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation and the Karabakh issue in the near future. Despite the fact the Protocols have not been ratified yet, the Turkish Foreign Office requested information from the administration of Kars province to clarify how much time the infrastructure renovation may take if the border opening is on the agenda. The administration of Kars province stated that the preparation for the border opening will last 45 days at the most. Asked about the request, the official of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Yasemin Eralp neither refuted nor confirmed the information.

Armenian Surb Khach church on Akhtamar Island will open for services on September 19. According to some data, Turkey plans to temporarily open the Armenian-Turkish border as a sign of goodwill on September 19.