Antalya Diplomacy Forum to conclude amid Turkey-Armenia thaw

The Antayla Diplomacy forum will commence today.

The forum is a meeting of national leaders, policy experts, business leaders and other key political stakeholders. Some national leaders in attendance include Kosovar prime minister Albin Kurti and Slovenian president Borut Pahor. Notably, Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan will attend the forum with the aim of normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey.

While the relationship between the two has remained frosty since the failure of the 2009 Zurich accords, two meetings this year between high level representatives from both countries in Moscow and Vienna confirmed the desire to normalize relations. This could result in increased bilateral trade, which amounted to only $270 million in 2019.

However, a recent clash between Armenia and Turkish-backed Azerbaijan could further inflame tensions unless a settlement can be reached. Should mediation fail, Ankara is likely to prioritise its relationship with Baku, forgoing further normalization.  Another potential obstacle is the differing stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While Turkey has firmly positioned itself on the side of Ukraine, Armenia has taken a more neutral stance and is traditionally seen as pro-Russian. Armenia might be swayed to adopt a more pro-Ukrainian stance in order to further encourage normalization.