Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan stated that Azerbaijan has taken the Armenian-Turkish normalization process hostage and is attempting to exert influence over it.

"We are working with Turkey and will continue to do so. It is unfortunate that Azerbaijan has taken hostage the relations between Armenia and Turkey, the issue of the Armenian-Turkish border, and the normalization process, trying to influence them. This is very bad. I believe that the relevant Turkish officials understand this as well," Simonyan said, reports Sputnik Armenia.

He emphasized that Armenia has repeatedly expressed its willingness to take steps toward establishing peace.

The parliament speaker expressed hope that Turkey, recognizing Armenia's initiatives, would more clearly articulate its position.

Simonyan recalled that in October last year, he met with the Speaker of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, in Geneva, from which, according to him, he received positive signals.

In December 2021, Yerevan and Ankara officially announced their readiness to take steps toward normalization. To this end, both countries appointed special representatives: Turkey named its former ambassador to Washington, Serdar Kılıç, while Armenia appointed Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan.

In the spring of 2023, the Margara checkpoint area was transferred to Armenia’s State Revenue Committee. The checkpoint is now ready for operation. On August 1, the committee's then-chairman, Rustam Badasyan, noted that the launch of Margara’s operations required a political decision.