Flights between Armenia and Turkey are set to resume today (2 Feb), for the first time since the end of 2019.
Turkish carrier Pegasus airlines will operate three flights a week from Istanbul to Yerevan, the first of which is taking place today, and three flights in the other direction. FlyOne will also operate flights from Yerevan to Istanbul.
This latest development marks the next step in what appears to be a cautioned willingness by both sides to normalise relations. Last month, special envoys from both countries met in Moscow to discuss the process of re-establishing diplomatic ties. Both sides described the meeting as positive and productive, and the event was hailed by observers as a significant step in restoring relations.
Other recent development indicating a rapprochement include Armenia’s decision to lift an embargo on Turkish goods, and Turkey’s invitation of Armenia to its Antalya Diplomacy Forum in March.
Speaking at a joint press conference earlier today with Alexander Schallenberg, Austria’s Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, the Armenian foreign minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, re-affirmed Armenia’s position that the border with Turkey should be opened, and relations re-established. Discussing the meeting of the special envoys, he said that there were positive signals indicating that the process will go ahead successfully, but warned that the issue did not depend on the position of only one party.