“Disaster Diplomacy” Opens Border Between Armenia and Turkey

In the aftermath of devastating earthquakes, Armenia has opened its border with Turkey for the first time in decades. (Flickr)

On February 6, Armenia announced plans to open its border gate with Turkey to allow aid for Turkish victims. This comes after Southern Turkey and parts of Syria experienced a disastrous 7.8 magnitude earthquake that has taken roughly 40,000 lives. 

Turkey’s special envoy for Armenia, Serdar Killic, expressed Turkey’s gratitude for Armenia’s actions, stating “I will always remember the generous aid sent by the people of Armenia to help alleviate the sufferings of our people in the earthquake stricken region in Turkey.”

The border between the two nations has been closed for the past 35 years as a result of longstanding animosity between them. Natural disaster victims last used the border crossing in 1988 following an earthquake in Armenia. Turkey shut the border in 1993, just two years after Armenia gained independence, in solidarity with Azerbaijan amid the First Karabakh War. Turkey and Armenia have not had diplomatic or commercial ties since the 1990s. The two nations are largely at odds over the killings of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during WWI. Armenia believes that this killing constituted a genocide. However, Turkey has disputed the figures,  arguing that the killing was not systematic. Turkey has continued to side with Azerbaijan in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. 

Last year at a European summit, Armenian and Turkish leaders met informally in an attempt to mend relations between the two nations. 

These attempts seem to have had positive results. On February 15, following the border opening, Turkish minister Mevlut Cavusoglu welcomed Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Ankara, Turkey . In a joint news conference, Cavusoglu thanked Armenia for “extending a hand of friendship.” Mirozoyan also visited the 27 Armenian aid workers located in Adiyaman, Turkey. Following the meeting, Armenian officials reported that the parties had reached an agreement on the restoration of the Ani bridge on the Akhuryan river, which forms part of the two countries’ border.

Discussions and aid between the two contentious nations mark a symbol of hope and potential peace in the region. Cavusoglu echoed this sentiment, stating that “advances in Armenia’s dialogue with Turkey and Azerbaijan will contribute to stability in the region. If our three countries take sincere steps, we will be able to achieve long-term peace in the South Caucasus.” The two nations are committed to working to improve relations. Doing so will not only benefit their respective states, but the Caucuses as a whole.