Turkey has responded to the claim spread in the Azerbaijani press that the Armenian-Turkish border was opened without informing Baku.

The Center for Combating Disinformation of the Turkish Presidential Administration has issued a press release which states:

“The claim made in some media outlets, ‘Turkey’s unexpected step: the border was opened for Armenians, Baku remained unaware,’ does not correspond to reality. The Alijan border crossing was opened only to ensure the passage and return of the humanitarian aid convoy from Armenia to Syria through the territory of our country,” the statement says.

According to the Turkish side, in 1992, the Council of Ministers decided to make the Alijan border crossing a temporary crossing only for the transportation of humanitarian aid.

“A humanitarian aid convoy from Armenia, consisting of 4 trucks, entered our country yesterday through the Alican border crossing in Igdir province to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria via the Hatay/Cilvegyozu border crossing. The trucks are expected to arrive in Syria tomorrow afternoon. These trucks will return to Armenia via the same route,” the department reported.

The Center for Combating Disinformation noted that the Alican checkpoint was used by the special representatives of the settlement process for mutual crossings during the fifth round of negotiations held on the border on July 30, 2024.

“The Turkey-Armenia border commissions also use this checkpoint within the framework of their meetings on border issues,” the center added.