There are things that can be done now, and in this regard, the easiest thing to do is to interconnect the electricity grids, it is being done, it is already being done. Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan on Friday told this to reporters within the framework of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, in Yerevan, referring to the prospects for the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border.

“I think we can see the most primary results in the very near future, because again there is nothing much to build there. There is something that requires a lot of work, in terms of the same electricity, there is something that can be easily regulated,” Mirzoyan added.

Referring to his previous statement that it is possible that one day we will wake up and find out that the Armenia-Turkey border is reopened, he noted: “I said: we may wake up one day, see that the border has been [re]opened; that is, the process has matured so much. It seems like I said something very articulate, and then I read headlines like, ‘Mirzoyan: Armenian-Turkish border to open tomorrow.’ It’s very surprising that I read such a headline. I said, it’s not ruled out.”

“The Armenia-Turkey dialogue is so intense, and we can already say through diplomatic channels, various economic, trade issues. And this process has matured so much that we can wake up conditionally tomorrow and see that both sides said, ‘That’s it, we’re [re]opening the border today.’ Look at the distrust we started with and how much cooperation there is; there is something. Our dialogue and the normalization of relations are quite mature, and we can come to a decision at every next moment, and they and we can [re]open the Armenia-Turkey border,” the Armenian foreign minister added.

Regarding the remark that Azerbaijan is obstructing this process, Ararat Mirzoyan said: “It’s also no secret that Azerbaijan believes... in general, they also said in Turkey that these two processes should go in parallel. The thing is that we [i.e. Armenia] now have peace with Azerbaijan, we have trade with Azerbaijan. That is, life moves forward, now we say one thing, and tomorrow an event happens that gives us the opportunity to be more confident.”

“Our region is changing rapidly and radically and is changing for the better—in terms of economic, infrastructure, trust, psychological aspects. Today’s presentation of the process, let’s perceive it in today’s terms. Tomorrow it may be more positive, it may be more negative, because you see what is happening all around,” the Armenian foreign minister concluded.