The Republic of Armenia is ready and is currently discussing the transfer of essential goods in the form of humanitarian aid to the earthquake-affected regions of Turkey and Syria, as well as the dispatch of rescue service teams to the relevant locations to provide assistance on the ground. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, in response to a question from the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle regarding what Armenia has offered Turkey within the framework of support provided after the earthquake.
“We ourselves saw in 1988 in our territory, in the Republic of Armenia, what disastrous consequences an earthquake can have, and we were not left alone at that time; we received the help of the international community. I believe that we should also be ready to extend our helping hand to all peoples who, at that moment, are in need of that help due to natural disasters.
Since you asked about Turkey, I also want to address the dialogue that is currently underway between our countries. There is a dialogue, as you are aware, regarding the opening of borders and the establishment of diplomatic relations.
I want to reaffirm the Republic of Armenia’s readiness to be sincerely engaged in this process and to bring it to a logical and, as quickly as possible, positive conclusion. I want to inform you that there is some progress. In our perception, the process is a bit slow, but it is nevertheless very positive that we have positive records on the ground.
You are probably aware that recently Turkey and Armenia decided to lift the ban on air cargo transportation. This is another positive step, and we hope that this process will continue with faster and more tangible achievements. In any case, on behalf of the Republic of Armenia, I also want to reaffirm our position on having a peaceful, cooperative and stable larger region.”
