Armenian FM sees progress in settling relations with Turkey

YEREVAN. Feb 7 (Interfax) - Armenia and Turkey have seen some progress in settling their relations, although this process is moving ahead somewhat slowly, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said.

"There is some progress. In our view, the process is moving somewhat slowly, and yet very positively, and we have some positive results on the ground," Armenian media quoted Mirzoyan as saying at a joint press conference with German Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Berlin on Tuesday.

Yerevan is interested in achieving the logical positive completion of the Armenian-Turkish settlement process, he said.

"Armenia and Turkey recently lifted the ban on air cargo transportation. This is yet another positive step, and we hope this process will continue with noticeable achievements. For Armenia's part, I'd like to reaffirm our position as regards a peaceful, cooperative, and stable large region," he said.

Armenia and Turkey do not have diplomatic relations and their joint border has been closed since 1993 at Ankara's initiative over the conflict in Karabakh. On July 1, the Armenian and Turkish special representatives for the normalization of bilateral relations, Ruben Rubinyan and Serdar Kilic, respectively, met in Vienna and agreed to ensure as early as possible the possibility of crossing the Armenian-Turkish land border by third-country citizens and to launch direct cargo flights between Armenia and Turkey. The first meeting of their special representatives took place in Moscow on January 14 of this year.