Turkey Accelerates Preparatory Work at the “Alican” Border Crossing — Turkish Media

Turkey has accelerated preparatory work at the “Alican” border crossing along its frontier with Armenia, according to the Turkish outlet YesilIgdir.

The outlet reports that the governor of Iğdır province, Fırat Taşolar, inspected the ongoing modernization and infrastructure works at the crossing and received briefings on the current status of the process. During a site visit with a technical delegation, the governor examined border facilities and transit routes, noting that the work is expected to be completed within a short timeframe.

According to the source, the purpose of putting the crossing into operation is to boost cross-border trade, shorten logistics routes toward the Caucasus, and facilitate tourist traffic.

The land border between Armenia and Turkey was unilaterally closed by Ankara in 1993 during the First Artsakh War. Since 2021, the two countries have resumed diplomatic contacts at the level of special envoys, foreign ministers, and national leaders.

The Alican–Margara Bridge was briefly opened in February 2023, when Armenia sent humanitarian aid and rescue teams to Turkey following a devastating earthquake.

Although both sides have announced an agreement to open the border to citizens of third countries and holders of diplomatic passports, no specific timelines have been made public. Yerevan has previously stated that the Armenian-side “Margara” checkpoint is already fully ready for operation.

On January 14, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that developments are expected in Armenia–Turkey relations.