Armenia, Turkey agree to open border to third country citizens before tourist season

 TASS 
Russia –
Despite sharing a border, Armenia and Turkey don’t have diplomatic relations

YEREVAN, March 24. /TASS/. Armenia and Turkey have agreed to open their borders to citizens of third countries ahead of the tourist season, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Friday.

"We have agreed to open the border with Turkey to citizens of third countries ahead of the tourist season. Active efforts in this area are being made," he said at a meeting of the relevant parliamentary commission.

Despite sharing a border, Armenia and Turkey don’t have diplomatic relations. The two countries’ top diplomats signed protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and on the principles of bilateral relations in Zurich in 2009 but these protocols have not been ratified by either of the sides. On March 1, 2018, Armenia announced the annulment of the protocols. In 2021, the countries appointed special envoys for issues of settling bilateral relations.