(MENAFN) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday reaffirmed Türkiye’s stance on normalizing relations with Armenia.

“When Azerbaijan and Armenia sign a final peace agreement, we will be ready to normalize relations with Armenia. We have declared this before,” he said.

Fidan added that Armenia’s eagerness for regional peace stems largely from Türkiye’s declared intention to normalize relations, noting that border reopening and economic revival are key concerns for Yerevan.

He made the remarks while responding to questions and criticisms from lawmakers during discussions on his ministry’s 2026 budget at the Turkish Parliament's Planning and Budget Committee.

Fidan emphasized that Türkiye does not want a frozen conflict in the South Caucasus.

“If we normalize relations at this point, we will have taken away the biggest reason for Armenia to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan. Therefore, we may face the possibility of a frozen conflict in the region. We do not want this.”

He noted that an initial agreement had been initiated in Washington, but two issues remain unresolved: the Zangezur Corridor and certain matters related to the Armenian constitution.

Once these are addressed and Azerbaijan signs the final agreement, Türkiye will open its border gates with Armenia.

Turning to the European Union, Fidan said visa restrictions stem from shifting internal political dynamics in Europe related to migration.

"They have linked the rise of the far right to migrant movements. Specifically, Muslim migration movements, immigration from certain Muslim countries. Now, because Europeans are modern, they can't say, ‘I don't want Muslims.’ They can't openly mention certain countries. That's why they can introduce a series of unnamed, covert measures. We are trying to identify these on the ground and address them directly with our European counterparts. But of course, after this process has created such mutual dependence, the next step should be visa liberalization."

He highlighted that extensive cooperation and mobility for students, businesses, and social exchanges between Europe and Türkiye require visa liberalization.

“The only thing that will make this mobility possible is visa liberalization. Europe is aware of this, but due to its identity policy, Europe has suspended certain issues in its relations with Türkiye,” Fidan said.

He added that the EU has shown reluctance to accept a Muslim country as a member, pointing out “Europe's two driving forces. France has demonstrated a clearer determination, while Germany has remained silent on this issue.”

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