When nearly half of a random sample of respondents say that the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border is harmful to Armenia, and the other half say it’s important or very important, it is clear that this unreal state has become the norm.

There is not and has not been a war between the republics of Armenia and Turkey, yet the border has been closed for 15 years. This is the only such case in the world. There are as we’ve often said countless other pairs of countries, neighbors, with great problems and disagreements between them, yet their common border remains open.

In the case of Armenia and Turkey, our societies and economies have become accustomed to this state of affairs. In fact, many even take it for granted. So much so that half of the respondents to our last Q/A can comfortably say that an open border – that is a normal state of affairs between two neighboring countries – can in fact be harmful to Armenia.

Does that mean that our economy would suffer? It will certainly force the economy to reconfigure itself having had, for so long, adapted to these blockaded conditions. Further, open borders will force us to become competitive in areas in which we may not be and which are a source of concern to our readers.

Do open borders mean there will be demographic concerns? Will Armenia’s small population be overrun by Turks and Kurds from across the land border in ways that they cannot currently do by air? That does not seem a realistic worry since Turkish-Georgian border is and has been open, and the Iranian-Armenian border is and has been open, and in neither case has there been a deluge of Turks into Georgia, or Iranians into Armenia. Instead, there has been normal travel and exchange, to the extent that some 10,000 Iranians recently spent their new year’s holidays (around the vernal equinox) in Armenia. Georgians and Turks constitute a good percentage of cross border trade around the Black Sea. That is not harmful, but helpful.

Finally, are open borders a security fear? If so, then adversarial countries in Latin America and in Asia should maintain closed borders. Even Israel and Egypt don’t have closed borders. In the 21st century, wire fences do not offer security protection. They do not keep out dangerous elements. Instead, they merely keep out those friendly elements with whom relations are necessary and useful.

In other words, there is no doubt that opening a frontier which has been closed for so long – for nearly a century, really, with a very small exception in the early 1990s – will be a shock to both societies and economies.

But it is equally certain that the shock will have long-term solutions if we seek them. On the other hand, the political and social damage that a closed border does cannot be remedied.

Of course our question and this analysis of the responses received considers only Armenia’s internal gains or losses. It does not reflect on the general geopolitical question, of political gains and losses to either Turkey or Armenia, or to global interests generally. That’s another topic and reflections on that issue can be found elsewhere on this site.