2 May Briefing

Three retired Turkish ambassadors, including Hasan Servet Öktem — a 1984 ASALA assassination-attempt survivor in Tehran — spent three days in Yerevan a month before Armenia's 7 June election, meeting ex-foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and historian Gerard Libaridian. Their reading: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has paid a domestic price to pursue unconditional normalization with Türkiye but is boxed in by the unopened Alican border crossing and an Armenian constitution that frames 1915 as genocide and parts of eastern Türkiye as 'Western Armenia.'

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Retired Turkish envoys press Ankara for concrete normalization steps before Armenia's 7 June vote

Three retired Turkish ambassadors, including Hasan Servet Öktem — who survived a 1984 ASALA attempt on his life in Tehran — and Ömer Önhon, spent three days in Yerevan meeting Armenia's former foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the Karabakh-government veteran Karel Mirzoyan and historian Gerard Libaridian a month before the 7 June general election. Their reading is that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has paid a domestic price to pursue unconditional normalization with Türkiye but is boxed in by the unopened Alican border crossing and an Armenian constitution whose 1991 preamble references the 1915 events as genocide and whose Article 11 designates parts of eastern and southeastern Türkiye as 'Western Armenia.' Pashinyan polls around 30 percent against Samvel Karapetyan, whose Strong Armenia Party leader is under house arrest on coup-conspiracy charges, while Russia, with heavier on-the-ground leverage than a 1,800-strong US embassy, has signalled it cannot warm to Yerevan while Karapetyan is detained.

Frequently Asked

Who were the retired Turkish ambassadors who visited Yerevan?

Three retired ambassadors visited Yerevan in late April, including Hasan Servet Öktem, who survived a 1984 ASALA assassination attempt while serving at Türkiye's embassy in Tehran, and Ömer Önhon.

What is the main obstacle to normalization between Türkiye and Armenia?

The largest obstacle is Armenia's 1991 constitution, whose preamble references the independence declaration characterizing the 1915 events as genocide, and Article 11 designates parts of eastern and southeastern Türkiye as 'Western Armenia'.

When is Armenia's general election?

Armenia's general election is scheduled for 7 June.

What bold steps has Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan taken toward normalization with Türkiye?

Pashinyan has stopped raising genocide-recognition claims internationally and turned to unconditional dialogue with Ankara, and has publicly said the problematic constitutional articles must be changed.

How many tourists did Armenia receive according to former foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan?

Mnatsakanyan told the visitors that Armenia received 250,000 tourists during his term and 3 million last year, with heavy traffic from Russians, Iranians and Ukrainians.