The EU fully supports normalisation of relations and opening of communications between Armenia and Turkey as an important objective to ensure lasting peace in the region, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar told NEWS.am about what are EU’s expectations from the Armenia-Turkey negotiations.

“We also support the upcoming resumption of flights between Yerevan and Istanbul and other high-level contacts between Armenian and Turkish officials, such as the contacts within the so-called ‘3+3’ platform and other possible contacts in the framework of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum,” Klaar stressed.

EUSR informed NEWS.am that during the last visit to Yerevan on January 21, 2022, with Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly / Special Representative Ruben Rubinyan he “had a very interesting exchange of views on these issues”.

“It seems to me that his (Ruben Rubinyan – ed.) first meeting with his Turkish counterpart held in Moscow on December 14, 2021 was commended by both sides. The EU welcomes this effort and is ready to contribute to any further positive development in this direction, provided the sides show corresponding interest.

As stated by several Armenian officials recently, including at the level of Prime Minister Pashinyan, we expect this process to bring stability and prosperity to the peoples in the region and we hope to see additional concrete steps in this direction in the near future. It is my hope that it will result in agreements for the long-awaited establishment of diplomatic relations and opening of the Turkish-Armenian border,” stressed Klaar.