Turkey discusses opening Kars ‘Eastern Gate’

PanARMENIAN.Net - As part of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process, Turkey’s special envoy Serdar Kılıç held a meeting with several representatives of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting also included Kadir Bozan, head of the Kars Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with board members, according to Turkish RadioYanki.

The Turkish source reported that the discussion centered on the potential reopening of the "Eastern Gate" in the Akyaka region of Kars. The possible socio-economic impact of opening the border checkpoint on the Kars region was also examined, CivilNet writes.

Kadir Bozan highlighted the broader significance of the move: “We closely monitor the Azerbaijan-Turkey and Armenia normalization process. After resolving issues between Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Armenia, opening the ‘Eastern Gate’ checkpoint will not only improve the socio-economic conditions in Kars but also benefit the entire region,” he said.

Bozan emphasized that reopening the border would allow for an expansion of trade volumes.

Despite official statements from Turkey that the Armenia-Turkey normalization process has no preconditions, Turkish officials frequently link progress to the signing of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Recently, Armenia’s special representative in the negotiations, Ruben Rubinyan, refuted claims that the dialogue had reached an impasse. He told reporters that he maintains regular communication with his Turkish counterpart, stressing that the success of the normalization process largely depends on Turkish political will.