Armenia is developing intensive dialogue with Turkey, and I am optimistic in this regard; we hope to gradually achieve results. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Wednesday stated this during the international Orbeli Forum being held in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

According to Mirzoyan, Armenia’s dialogue with Turkey can be viewed as a mirror reflection of the situation that has developed with Azerbaijan. The Armenian FM recalled that peace has been established between the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and efforts are needed for reconciliation between the two peoples.

Ararat Mirzoyan noted that with Turkey, however, the situation is completely the opposite: the two peoples have always interacted, and there has been and still is trade between them. The issue was that those contacts were carried out through third countries. But now there are direct flights between the two countries and an agreement to increase their number. The problem with Turkey has been the closed border and the absence of diplomatic relations. Intensive dialogue is continuing; meetings and visits have taken place, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has visited Turkey, and Armenia provided assistance after the devastating earthquake in Turkey. Currently, other confidence-building measures are being discussed.