Turkish minister says Turkey rapidly moving toward consensus with Armenia and Azerbaijan

The “Zangezur Corridor” and the Alijan border crossing projects will redefine Turkey’s role in the regional trade network, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said.

He noted that the “Zangezur Corridor” would directly connect Turkey and Azerbaijan, creating a new trade route from Asia to Europe.

“It will shorten distances, reduce costs, and strengthen Turkey’s regional trade power,” the minister said.

Uraloğlu announced that preparatory work has begun at the Alijan border crossing point on the Turkish-Armenian border.

“We have completed our planning, including assessing the current condition of the bridge and its reconstruction. We are rapidly moving toward a consensus process with Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Alijan crossing will open after the completion of the peace process,” he said.

The minister, who confirmed that he has met with officials from both Azerbaijan and Armenia, added: “A serious normalization process is underway. In other words, the prime minister of Armenia, in particular, is showing significant initiative and taking serious risks. We are closely following this process. We have prepared specific plans, including evaluating the current condition of the bridge near the Alijan border gate and constructing a new one.”

“We are literally moving quickly toward reaching consensus among Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey. Once that happens—God willing—we will open that gate,” Uraloğlu said.

He added that this development will increase the efficiency of the “Zangezur Corridor” and make the trade route stretching from China to the United Kingdom more effective.

According to the minister, the construction of the Kars–Iğdır–Aralık–Dilucu railway line will connect to the “Zangezur Corridor” and further strengthen the Middle Corridor. “The Kars–Iğdır–Dilucu line is one of the key projects that will shape not only Turkey’s future but also that of the entire South Caucasus and Eurasia,” he said.

Uraloğlu also noted that the “Development Road Project,” which has attracted great interest among European countries, will ensure uninterrupted road and rail access to all European destinations—from Iraq’s Al-Faw port in Basra to London.

“This strategic corridor will shorten global trade routes, boost Turkey’s logistical capacity, and strengthen regional economic integration,” he stated.