Türkiye and Armenia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly restore the ancient Ani Bridge, in a move described as a step towards strengthening ties between the two countries.
The agreement was announced on Monday following a meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz on the sidelines of the 8th European Political Community Summit in Yerevan, Armenia’s capital.
In their presence, Türkiye’s special envoy Serdar Kilic and Armenia’s special envoy Ruben Rubinyan signed the deal.
The Ani Bridge, long a symbol of division, is also seen as a potential sign of reconciliation between the two neighbours.
Yilmaz said the talks covered bilateral relations as well as transport, customs, energy and digital connectivity, with a focus on strengthening regional integration.
He noted that recent progress in the normalisation process is beginning to produce concrete results, signalling a gradual shift in diplomatic momentum.
The bridge restoration agreement reflects both “symbolic and concrete cooperation” between Türkiye and Armenia, Yilmaz said in a post on NSosyal.
“During the meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, we held a comprehensive review of bilateral relations. Discussions covered key areas including transportation, customs cooperation, energy, and efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure and connectivity. We are also pleased that the mutually constructive steps taken in the normalisation process are producing concrete progress,” he added.
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