Ankara has clarified that the opening of its border with Armenia was strictly for the passage of a humanitarian convoy, not indicative of a broader policy shift or permanent opening.
The Turkish Presidential Directorate of Communications' Center for Combating Disinformation issued a press release addressing media reports suggesting the reopening of the Turkey-Armenia border. Some Turkish outlets had published headlines such as "Turkey's unexpected move: border opened to Armenians, Baku kept in the dark," according to Ermenihaber.
The press release emphasized that the Alican (Margara) border crossing was opened exclusively to allow the transit of humanitarian aid from Armenia to Syria through Turkish territory. "The claim appearing in certain media outlets does not reflect reality. The Alican border crossing was temporarily opened for the passage and return of a humanitarian convoy from Armenia to Syria. In 1992, a Cabinet decision designated Alican as a Temporary Border Crossing Point for humanitarian transport only," the statement reads.
The convoy, comprising four Armenian trucks, crossed into Turkey via Alican on March 22, heading to the Hatay/Cilvegözü border crossing to deliver aid to Syria.
The statement also notes that the Alican crossing was last used in February 2023 following the earthquake in Turkey, when Armenia sent humanitarian assistance. At that time, the same crossing was used for two separate aid deliveries.
Additionally, the crossing was utilized on July 30, 2024, during the fifth round of border normalization talks for mutual visits of special representatives and meetings of border commissions.
The Margara Bridge, part of the closed border since 1993, was temporarily reopened on March 21 for 10 days to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria, echoing a similar gesture in 2023 when 100 tons of aid were sent through the same route.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan stated that the logistics of delivering aid to Syria by land had been coordinated through established diplomatic channels with Turkey.
