Armenia Preparing to Open Margara Checkpoint on Border with Turkey

YEREVAN — Armenian authorities are preparing for the opening of the Margara checkpoint on the border with Turkey, Rustam Badasyan, head of the Armenian State Revenue Committee (SRC), said today.

According to him, the parties have already reached an agreement on the upcoming opening of the border for persons with diplomatic passports, as well as for citizens of third countries.

“We are carrying out preparatory work to ensure that customs procedures are smoothly implemented at the border crossing point,” Badasyan said, commenting on the possible opening of the border.

“We, together with other states, are now preparing for the earliest launch of this border crossing,” Badasyan told reporters.

The Margara land checkpoint on the Armenian-Turkish border was opened for the first time in 30 years in February this year for Armenian trucks to deliver tons of food, medicine and other relief supplies to Turkey’s regions affected by the powerful earthquake.

Turkey shut down its border for Armenia in 1993, in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan which was locked in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenia also started the repair of a large section of Armavir – Gyumri road running along Armenia’s border with Turkey.