Armenia–Turkey Working Group Meets on Launch of Gyumri–Kars Railway

KARS — A joint Armenia–Turkey working group met on April 28 in Kars to discuss the restoration and operation of the Gyumri–Kars railway.

According to Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides emphasized the importance of swiftly launching the railway as part of broader efforts to expand regional transport connectivity.

The U.S. Embassy in Armenia welcomed what it described as “concrete steps toward reopening economic and social ties that have been closed for decades between Armenia and Turkey,” calling it a historic advancement toward building a peaceful and prosperous South Caucasus.

“The restoration of this key link between Armenia and Turkey is an important step toward opening regional corridors and ensuring regional stability,” the embassy said, noting that groundwork for these “transformational developments” had been laid during an August 8 summit in Washington.

Representatives of Armenia and Turkey had previously held a second round of technical discussions in November on restoring and operating the railway.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has earlier expressed optimism that ongoing positive dialogue with Turkey could lead to the opening of the Armenia–Turkey border.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has also stated that Ankara would be ready to normalize relations with Armenia once Yerevan and Baku sign a final peace agreement.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan recently remarked in Turkey that Ankara remains influenced by Azerbaijan regarding the normalization process with Armenia.