Armenia to lift ban on Turkish imports amid normalization of ties

Duvar English

Armenia said on Dec. 30 it was lifting an embargo on Turkish goods as of Jan. 1, 2022, AFP reported.

"A decision was made not to extend the embargo on the import of Turkish goods into the country," the Armenian Economy Ministry said.

The announcement came as Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said the two countries' envoys could meet in January to discuss mending ties.

"The date for the first meeting between special representatives of Turkey and Armenia has not yet been set, but it is expected to be held in January," Çavuşoğlu said in an interview broadcast live on 24 TV on Dec. 30.

The envoys in their first meeting will exchange views on a roadmap on which steps can be taken, including confidence-building steps, the Turkish minister said.

On Dec. 15, Turkey appointed Serdar Kılıç, a former ambassador to the U.S., as the special envoy to discuss steps for normalization with Armenia. Three days later, Armenia appointed National Assembly Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan its special representative for dialogue with Turkey.

Turkey said charter flights with Armenia would soon begin and that it is pursuing its normalization discussions in consultation and coordination with Azerbaijan.

Speaking on Armenia's special envoy, Çavuşoğlu said they consider Rubinyan as a person who knows Turkey well and as a friend appointed with the intention of normalizing ties with Turkey.

He also said there is a positive perspective on the normalization process from the messages received from Armenia.