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Daily Sabah (29 April 2022)

The third meeting of envoys from Turkey and Armenia for normalization of ties is set for May 3, the foreign ministries of both countries confirmed Thursday.

"The next meeting of the special representatives of Turkey and Armenia in the Turkey-Armenia normalization process, Ambassador Serdar Kılıç and Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Ruben Rubinyan, will take place on May 3 in Vienna," the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced in a statement, while a spokesperson for Armenia's Foreign Ministry also confirmed it on Twitter.

Kılıç was named as Turkey's special envoy to discuss steps toward normalization with neighboring Armenia on Dec. 15, 2021. Three days later, Armenia appointed its own special representative, Rubinyan.

The first round of talks was held in the Russian capital Moscow on Jan. 14, where both parties agreed to continue negotiations without any preconditions, according to a statement released after the meeting. Turkish and Armenian envoys met for the second time in Vienna on Feb. 24.

Also, a historic bilateral meeting took place between the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 12.

As part of the efforts, Turkey and Armenia have also resumed commercial flights as of Feb. 2 after a two-year hiatus.

Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic or commercial ties for three decades, and the recent talks are the first attempt to restore links since a 2009 peace accord. That deal was never ratified and ties had remained tense. Following the war over Karabakh, previously referred to as Nagorno-Karabakh, in which Turkey supported Azerbaijan against Armenia, Turkish-Armenian relations have entered a new phase, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying Turkey is ready for dialogue with Armenia. Azerbaijan also supports the process.

Erdoğan has frequently called for a six-nation platform for permanent peace, stability and cooperation in the region, saying it would be a win-win initiative for all regional actors in the Caucasus.

Turkey believes that permanent peace is possible through mutual security-based cooperation among the states and people of the South Caucasus region.

https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/next-turkey-armenia-normalization-talks-set-for-may-3-in-vienna