Azeri diplomat claims repair works launched at Turkey-Armenia border

"Repair works are underway in the border crossing point in the territory of Armenia. The roads leading to Alican are being covered with asphalt," Azerbaijan’s consul general to the eastern Turkish province of Kars, Hasan Zeynalov, told Azeri Press Agency, or APA. Â

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations, and their border has been closed in 1993 over Armenia's invasion of territory that accounts for 20 percent of Azerbaijan – a frozen conflict legacy of the Soviet Union known as Nagorno-Karabakh.Â

Zeynalov also told Azeri Press Agency that residents in the eastern Turkish provinces of Kars and Igdir, where Alican checkpoint was located, were very concerned over the possibility of re-opening of the border.Â

"Kars and Igdir residents do not understand the reason of this step. The are against the re-opening of border," he said.

Ankara and Yerevan have been engaged in a normalization process, including the reopening of the border, since Turkish President Abdullah Gul paid a landmark visit to Armenia last year to watch a World Cup qualifying football match between the countries’ national teams.

Recent media reports suggest the two neighboring countries are close to sign a memorandum that will lead to normalization of the relations.

Diplomatic sources told the Turkish broadcaster CNNTurk on Thursday that although there are improvements on the talks, the border is unlikely to be opened before April 24, commemoration day of the 1915 incidents.

Azeri officials have expressed concern over the prospect of the border being reopened and some media reports suggested that Baku might even go one step further in halting the sale of natural gas to Turkey. Azerbaijan, which has strong cultural and historic ties with Turkey, has said opening the border before the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the country’s occupied territories would run counter to its national interests.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday it will be difficult to overcome problems with Armenia unless Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved, in a bid to soothe Azerbaijan’s concerns.