Opening of Akhalkalaki-Kars railway new step in trade as part of  Armenian-Turkish normalization process

ArmInfo. The opening of the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway for exports from Armenia and imports to Armenia is a new step in trade as part of the normalization process between the two countries.

This was stated by Turkiye's Special Representative for the Normalization Process with Armenia, Serdar  Kilic, in response to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's social media post about the opening of the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway for Armenia's foreign trade.

The ambassador noted that this is a new step in direct trade as part  of the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia. "I hope this  new step, which will also contribute to the development of  quadrilateral cooperation between Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and  Georgia and will make a significant contribution to regional peace  and stability, will benefit all countries," Kilic wrote on Twitter  (X).

On May 24, Nikol Pashinyan announced on his social media the opening  of the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway for exports from Armenia and imports  to Armenia. "I am pleased to announce that the Akhalkalaki-Kars  railway, like the Azerbaijani railway, is now open for exports from  Armenia and imports to Armenia," he stated.

According to him, this is a major event in the country's economic  life. "I thank my partners from Turkey and Georgia. Today, Armenia  has rail links with Russia via Georgia and Azerbaijan, and with China  via Russia and Kazakhstan. Now, rail links with the European Union  also via Georgia and Turkey are expected," he noted, adding that the  opening of the Armenia-Turkey, Armenia-Azerbaijan, and then  Armenia-Iran railways via Nakhichevan is expected in the future.

The then-Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced the  launch of the normalization process between Armenia and Turkey on  December 13, 2021. He also emphasized that Ankara would act in  coordination with Azerbaijan regarding steps to normalize relations  with Armenia. The parties appointed special representatives of Turkey  and Armenia for the normalization process - Serdar Kilic and Ruben  Rubinyan - who have already held several rounds of negotiations, but  have not yet achieved any breakthroughs, other than the launch of air  cargo and passenger services.