ISTANBUL – The Turkiye-Armenia border on Saturday reopened for the first time in 35 years to carry humanitarian aid to people affected by Monday’s huge twin earthquakes in southern Turkiye.
According to Anadolu Agency (AA), five trucks carrying aid from Armenia crossed the border via the Alican border crossing eastern Turkiye’s Igdir province.
Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan shared a video showing aid trucks crossing a bridge to arrive in Turkiye.
“Humanitarian aid from #Armenia crossed the Margara bridge on #Armenia-#Turkey border heading to the earthquake-stricken region,” Kostanyan said on Twitter.
Serdar Kilic, Turkiye’s special envoy to discuss steps for normalisation of ties with Armenia, thanked on Twitter to Armenia for the aid.
“Thank you dear @VahanKostanyan thank you dear @RubenRubinyan for your kind efforts to make this happen,” Kilic said. “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 Turkiye.”
Vahan Hunanyan, a spokesperson for Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said on Twitter; “Today #Armenia has sent humanitarian aid to #Turkey. Trucks with humanitarian aid have crossed the Margara bridge on the border and are on their way to the earthquake-stricken region.”
The Alican border crossing was also used in 1988 when a big earthquake hit Armenia to send aid collected by the Turkish Red Crescent to the affected areas.
Last year, Turkish and Armenian officials agreed to open the land border for third-country citizens visiting both countries as soon as possible, said the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
As part of the efforts, Turkiye and Armenia have also resumed commercial flights as of February 2022 after a two-year hiatus.
The two countries have been divided on a range of issues, including Armenia’s occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, and 1915 events during the Ottoman Empire era, and the border between the two neighbouring countries has been closed since 1993. – Bernama
