Expert: normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations to have positive impact on regional policy
30.09.2009,
02:44
Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations will have a positive impact on the regional policy in general, Armenian analyst Tigran Mkrtchyan said.
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations will have a positive impact on the regional policy in general, Armenian analyst Tigran Mkrtchyan said.
It is impossible to implement regional programs while ignoring or isolating any of the countries of the region, Mkrtchyan told journalists in Novosti international press center.
Today’s most important regional problems are Armenian-Turkish, Armenian-Azerbaijani and Russian-Georgian relations, Mkrtchyan said.
According to the analyst, the opinion of the international community on the matter should also be taken into account.
In particular, the USA and the EU are expected to use certain levers of power to keep Azerbaijan back in the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Azerbaijan may create certain tense in the process, Mkrtchyan said.
On August 31, Armenia and Turkey reached an agreement in Swiss-mediated talks to start internal political consultations over two protocols – the protocol about establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries and the protocol about developing bilateral relations. The consultations are expected to be completed within six weeks; then the protocols are to be signed and submitted for parliaments’ approval.
No diplomatic relations exist between Armenia and Turkey, and the Armenian-Turkish border has been closed since 1993 initiated by official Ankara.
The reason for complicated relations between the countries is particularly Turkey’s pro-Azerbaijani stance on the Karabakh conflict and acute response to the process of international acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire in 1915. –0--
It is impossible to implement regional programs while ignoring or isolating any of the countries of the region, Mkrtchyan told journalists in Novosti international press center.
Today’s most important regional problems are Armenian-Turkish, Armenian-Azerbaijani and Russian-Georgian relations, Mkrtchyan said.
According to the analyst, the opinion of the international community on the matter should also be taken into account.
In particular, the USA and the EU are expected to use certain levers of power to keep Azerbaijan back in the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Azerbaijan may create certain tense in the process, Mkrtchyan said.
On August 31, Armenia and Turkey reached an agreement in Swiss-mediated talks to start internal political consultations over two protocols – the protocol about establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries and the protocol about developing bilateral relations. The consultations are expected to be completed within six weeks; then the protocols are to be signed and submitted for parliaments’ approval.
No diplomatic relations exist between Armenia and Turkey, and the Armenian-Turkish border has been closed since 1993 initiated by official Ankara.
The reason for complicated relations between the countries is particularly Turkey’s pro-Azerbaijani stance on the Karabakh conflict and acute response to the process of international acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire in 1915. –0--
