Türkiye is interested in reopening its border with Armenia because doing so would allow Ankara to increase its influence in the South Caucasus and expand its presence in the region, political analyst Stepan Danielyan said.
“If Türkiye increases its influence over Armenia, it also increases its presence in the South Caucasus. So I think Türkiye is interested in opening the border,” Danielyan said.
According to him, Türkiye’s regional policy is also affected by problems in its relations with Azerbaijan and Georgia. The analyst mentioned disagreements with Azerbaijan, as well as issues in relations with Georgia, including those concerning Adjara.
In Danielyan’s assessment, Türkiye’s position on reopening the Armenia–Türkiye border is significantly influenced by its efforts to settle differences with Azerbaijan. He believes Ankara was, in principle, ready to open the border with Armenia but took account of Baku’s demand that it remain closed until a peace agreement is signed.
“It seems to me that Azerbaijan’s main demand is that the border with Armenia not be opened. I think they were ready to open it, and this was not the first time they had tried. Nevertheless, they accepted that condition in order to settle their relations with Azerbaijan,” the analyst said.
👉 Politics