Official: Armenia has no contacts with Turkey "at the moment"

PanARMENIAN.Net - Press Secretary of the Prime Minister of Armenia Mane Gevorgyan on Monday, September 20 commented on the remarks of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrange a meeting.

Gevorgyan told Armenpress that Pashinyan outlined his views on starting a conversation with Turkey during a recent Q&A session in parliament, stating that high-level contacts should only follow working discussions, and that he has also detailed his vision to international partners.

"At the moment, there have been no contacts between the officials of Armenia and Turkey, although the Armenian government is ready for such communication. In the event of effective work, Armenia will be ready for meetings at both high and the highest levels," Gevorgyan was quoted as saying.

Erdogan said earlier that Garibashvili has passed on to him Pashinyan's proposal to meet. Erdogan said his country was ready for talks with Armenia but added Yerevan needed to "take steps" toward opening a transport link through its territory, connecting Nakhijevan to the rest of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani side has on multiple occasions spoken about a so-called "corridor" through the southern Armenian province of Syunik that would connect Nakhijevan to the rest of Azerbaijan. The Armenian side, however, has repeatedly denied being involved in negotiations for the provision of a corridor to Azerbaijan, stressing that they have only agreed to unblock transport communications in the region.