Armenpress

TURKEY AWAITS OUTCOME OF ARMENIAN-AZERI TALKS

YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS: The New Anatolian Magazine in Turkey
quoted an unnamed diplomatic source as saying that Ankara is awaiting the
outcome of Armenian-Azerbaijani talks over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to
decide whether to start the process of normalization of relations with
Yerevan or not.
The magazine said Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders are expected to make
progress in the conflict regulation efforts and agree on a proposal
envisaging the withdrawal of Armenian troops from five of 7 Azeri regions,
controlled by Armenian troops, while the status of Karabakh will be decided
in a referendum within next 15 years. The magazine said Turkish officials
were pondering over lifting Armenia’s transport blockade after Armenian
troops pulled out of the occupied regions. It also said Armenian occupation
of Azeri territories was one of the main obstacle to normalization of ties
between Yerevan and Ankara.
“Though Armenian authorities implicated recently that they were ready to
give its foreign policy line for recognition of so-called genocide
allegations, special ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey are hindering
Turkish government to open its borders with Armenia unless a solution is
found to the Karabakh dispute,” the New Anatolian said.