Rémi Trieau (in Adıyaman), edited by Romain Rouillard 8:05 p.m., February 14, 2023
Despite the heavy historical liability between the two countries, Armenian rescuers came to lend a hand to their Turkish counterparts who, for more than a week, had been clearing the rubble after the passage of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake.
For the first time in 30 years, the Turkish-Armenian border has been reopened.
A few days after the devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of more than 35,000 people between Turkey and Syria, the disputes between Turkey and Armenia have been put on hold.
For the first time in 30 years, the land border between the two states has been reopened to facilitate humanitarian aid and the dispatch of rescuers to the scene of the tragedy.
A surge of solidarity from Yerevan which may surprise given the relations maintained with Ankara since the infamous Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.
"In reality, they are people like us"
In Adıyaman, near the border between the two countries, where Europe 1 went, the team of rescuers has been present since last Wednesday.
"If I remember correctly, we pulled nine bodies from the rubble and we saved three survivors," said one of them, named Aram.
This rescuer volunteered to help the Turks.
"Earthquakes, natural disasters have no borders. In times like these, it doesn't matter," he said.
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Mustapha, a Turkish volunteer, is touched by their presence.
"On the political question, there is misinformation. In reality, it is people like us".
In the Armenian team, a rescuer, who requests anonymity, welcomes the reopening of the border between the two neighbors.
"It's very symbolic, even if the reopening takes place in such circumstances. And we are happy to be able to provide aid to a neighboring country", he assures.
The Turkish-Armenian border had remained closed since 1993.