Turkey also has a long history of poor relations with Armenia over its refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide , even though it was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Armenia ( the 3rd republic ) after its independence from the USSR in 1991 . Despite this , for most of the 20th century and early 21st century , relations remain tense and there are no formal diplomatic relations between the two countries due to Turkey 's refusal to establish them for numerous reasons . During the Nagorno-Karabakh War , and citing it as the reason , Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 . It has not lifted its blockade despite pressure from the powerful Turkish business lobby interested in Armenian markets
Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Armenia