Armenia and Turkey will simplify the visa procedure for diplomatic, special and service passport holders as part of efforts to normalize ties, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Monday.
In a statement posted on X social media platform, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the two countries agreed that holders of diplomatic, special and service passports from both countries would be able to obtain electronic visas free of charge as of January 1.
“On this occasion, Turkey and Armenia reaffirm once again their commitment to continue the normalization process between the two countries with the goal of achieving full normalization without any preconditions,” the ministry stated.
The borders between the two countries had remained closed since 1993 due to the war between Armenia and Turkey’s close ally Azerbaijan. The historical grievances between Yerevan and Ankara have also strained the diplomatic ties between the two countries. The two countries, however agreed to normalize ties in 2021, appointing special envoys for reconciliation efforts. The normalization of these ties has progressed in parallel with peace efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan that fought two wars over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the past 30 years. Ankara supported Baku during the war that ended with Azerbaijan’s victory.
Turkey and Armenia also have a historic dispute over the 1915 killing of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Turkey denies the deaths amount to genocide, saying the killed were victims of unrest and civil war.
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