The process has not stopped, but slowed down - Secretary of the Security Council on the progress of Armenian-Turkish normalization

ArmInfo. The process hasn't stopped, but rather slowed down. Armenian Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan similarly commented on the progress of normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations during a briefing on September 24.

He linked this rather to the completion of previously existing processes in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and passing the so-called point of no return. "In my opinion, this is a matter for the near future," Simonyan said. He added that there is no reason to believe that this issue will not be resolved or will be further delayed.

He also noted that efforts to open the border are underway not only on the Armenian side, but also on the Turkish side. In particular, as the Security Council Secretary noted, infrastructure and communications are being restored, meetings are being held, and visits are being made. "That is, a process that has positive dynamics," the official noted.

It should be recalled that the launch of the normalization process between Armenia and Turkey was announced on December 13, 2021, by then-Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. He also emphasized that Ankara would act in coordination with Azerbaijan regarding steps to normalize relations with Armenia. The parties appointed special representatives of Turkey and Armenia for the normalization process, Serdar Kılıç and Ruben Rubinyan, who have already held several rounds of negotiations.

As a result, a visa regime for holders of service and special passports came into effect on January 1, 2026. In May 2026, the special representatives signed a protocol on the joint restoration of the historic Ani Bridge. The parties confirm their intention to accelerate the implementation of agreements on border crossings for third-country nationals.