First modification:
Planes began taking off and landing at Istanbul and Yerevan airports after two years of suspension. A movement seen as a step forward at a time when both nations are trying to rebuild a historically tense relationship. However, experts assure that this is a “positive” move, but it does not have extra implications in diplomatic talks.
This Wednesday, February 2, planes from different airlines flew over and were destined for the international airfields of Turkey and Armenia, a transcendent event to retrace a path that both governments aim to travel: rebuild relations with the neighboring country, a link historically undermined by war conflicts and territorial tensions.
These first flights between the capitals of both countries resumed a situation that had been in effect until the beginning of 2020, when the low-cost Turkish company Atlasglobal, which operated several weekly routes, had to declare bankruptcy. This caused that the transfers between both nations were interrupted and the citizens had to travel through Georgia.
Now, a plane from the Moldovan low-cost company FlyOne, which has a subsidiary in Armenia, is scheduled to arrive at Istanbul International Airport from Yerevan in the afternoon. While another, from the Turkish Pegasus society, is expected to make the reverse journey and leave from the Sabiha Gokcen. Aram Ananyan, head of FlyOne in Armenia, notified the AFP agency that the intention is for there to be two weekly return flights between the two capitals.
In mid-January, in Moscow, representatives of both countries held special meetings in order to bring positions closer together and re-establish a relationship that was never completely solid, but which broke down again in 2020.
Direct flights between Turkey and Armenia summarize today, announces AKP spokesman, adding: “Steps towards normalization prove Turkey is a state of peace” Talks failed twice in the past. Could this be third time lucky? Good analysis here by @Tom_deWaal https://t.co/WWVYOVEyjy
— Selin Girit (@selingirit) February 2, 2022
At that time, the Turkish government supported Azerbaijan in the conflict over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The resumption of international flights is taken as a sign of normalization of the link.
However, some analysts downplayed the importance of these events a little about the effect they may have on the Turkish-Armenian relationship. Thomas de Waal, a researcher at the Carnegie Europe think tank (which studies international affairs and promotes collaboration between nations), called these developments “positive, but not revolutionary.”
“Of course it is good news, but it is only a return to the previous situation,” he assured.
A relationship ruled by conflict
The land border that separates Turkey and Armenia has been closed since 1993, after the first Karabakh war took place. This led to complications for civilians and transport -such as trucks- that were forced to divert their ways through Georgia and Iran in order to enter Turkish or Armenian territory.
The consequences are also commercial, since they do not have direct routes between them. Although indirect trade has increased gradually since 2013, official data from Turkey revealed that it only brought in profits of $3.8 million in 2021.
Although there was a moment when the spirits between the two calmed down and there were diplomatic approaches or, at least, a cordial relationship, this vanished in 2020 when Turkey supported the Azeri campaign around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and accused the Armenians of illegally occupying land corresponding to Azerbaijan.
Historically, Armenia and Turkey have had rough patches since 1915, when the Ottoman Empire carried out a genocide that killed 1.5 million Armenians, a figure that the Turks consider exaggerated and deny that it was orchestrated by the authorities.
In 2021, the United States agreed with the Armenians, with a strong community presence on North American soil, and defined these events as genocide.
The talks last January pointed to the intention of reopening the borders, something that would encourage the resurgence of routes and railways, a context that would give positive economic balances to both nations. However, reaching that point is still uncertain and will require more conclaves.
with AFP