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Eurasia
17/07/2023 12:00
Armenian Airlines will operate flights between Yerevan and Istanbul in both directions. The flights will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, according to Armenia International Airports, the Armenian airport operator, according to News Armenia.
The direct air passenger service between Yerevan and Istanbul is a significant milestone in the reconciliation of Armenian-Turkish relations. For over three decades, Armenia has experienced substantial regional isolation due to the closure of its borders by Turkey in response to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, resulting in a halt in tourism and commercial exchange between the two countries. Azerbaijan has similarly taken such measures.
However, the situation changed with the conclusion of the second Armenian-Azerbaijani war in November 2020, followed by the ceasefire agreement in December 2020. Since then, apart from minor interruptions, ongoing negotiations have been taking place between Yerevan and Baku in pursuit of peace. In May, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan acknowledged the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region as part of Azerbaijan, raising the possibility of permanent peace talks by the end of this year.
A swift resolution could facilitate Armenia's economic development and potentially integrate it into the transit traffic passing through the South Caucasus region in the future.