Sending aid to Turkey is a humanitarian step, a right step, a normal step, and all countries should help each other during large-scale, broad-scale disasters. Ruben Rubinyan, vice-speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia and the latter’s special representative in process of normalization of relations with Turkey, told this to the RFE/RL Armenian Service, reflecting on the criticisms of Armenia sending humanitarian aid to Turkey, in the event that Turkey helped Azerbaijan during the 44-day war in 2020 and still keeps the border with Armenia closed.

"You know, in the last 100 years, Armenian-Turkish relations have been very complicated and full of many problems. But, in any case, we are now dealing with a humanitarian disaster, and regardless of what kind of relations there are between Armenia and Turkey, or what kind of relations there were in the past and what events happened, it is a fact that our countries are neighbors, and neighbors should help each other during disasters," Rubinyan emphasized.

Recalling the 1999 earthquake in Izmir, Turkey, the NA vice-speaker mentioned that rescue teams from Armenia were sent to Turkey at that time as well.

"If we really want peace and stability in this region, it means that we also must take steps from our part; naturally, expecting that there will be positive steps from other parts as well. But the priority in this whole context is the humanitarian issue; there was a [natural] disaster By the way, people who are Armenian by nationality, unfortunately, also died in the earthquake—both in Syria and in Turkey," Rubinyan said.

Commenting on the publications of the international press that this humanitarian assistance by Armenia to Turkey can contribute to the improvement of relations between the two countries, the NA deputy speaker responded as follows: "I don't think that this disaster will freeze the process; I believe the process will continue. And whether it will speed up or not, future events will show."