Azernews.Az

ANKARA – A first direct flight between Turkey and landlocked Armenia could be carried out in September, Armenian media quoted a Turkish official as saying.

"If everything goes as planned, the first flight creating a regular air link between Yerevan and [Turkey’s province of] Van will take place on September 11," said Abdullah Tuncdemir, head of Van’s chamber of commerce and industry.

Tuncdemir leads a delegation of 30 Turkish businessmen on their visit to the Armenian capital.

Elman Abdullayev, a spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, commented that Baku does not interfere with Turkey and Armenia’s affairs, but reserves the right to issue its response if Azerbaijani interests are hurt.

"Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry will be closely following how the developments unfold and will react depending on future scenarios," Abdullayev said.

While in Yerevan, the Turkish representatives signed with Armenian businessmen an agreement on boosting bilateral trade and tourism cooperation, according to Arsen Ghazaryan, head of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers) of Armenia. He also claimed that though the two neighboring countries have no direct overland link, their unofficial trade turnover amounts to $250 million.

Turkey, Azerbaijan’s ally, and Armenia maintain no diplomatic relations and the border between the two countries has been shut since 1993 due to Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territory and claims on World War I-era "genocide" in Ottoman Turkey. Ankara and Yerevan signed reconciliation agreements in October 2009, but their parliamentary approval is stalled.