Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan expressed his regret regarding Turkey’s response to a memorial in Yerevan commemorating “genocide avengers.” He clarified that the monument was erected based on the decision of local authorities and may not necessarily reflect Armenia’s official foreign policy.

During a press conference in Ankara, where he attended a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Alen Simonyan addressed Turkey’s recent decision to close its airspace to Armenian airlines. He highlighted this decision as a concerning development and emphasized its impact on aviation and travel between the two countries.

Simonyan further stated: “If one wants, he can always find excuses for worsening relations. I could, too, find a thousand different reasons for not coming to Turkey. But I am here to tell the Turkish society that Armenia is ready for peace and normalization of relations without preconditions.”

During their meeting in Ankara, Simonyan and his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Şentop, addressed the issue of airspace closure to Armenian airlines. The discussion took place on the sidelines of the international event. 

As the Armenian Parliament’s press service reports, Simonyan expressed his optimistic outlook that the meeting with Şentop would aid in resolving the issue.

Read also: Turkey Commented on its Decision to Close Airspace for Armenian Aircrafts