RUBEN SAFRASTIAN: TURKEY WANTS TO REVIVE ITS OBSESSION TO MEDIATE IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Yerkir.am
April 14, 2006

“In my opinion, Turkey is trying to receive dividends from the fact
that the U.S. is interested in it in connection with the possible
military operations against Iran,” Ruben Safrastian, head of the
National Academy of Sciences’ Department of Turkey said in his
interview with Noyan Tapan.

He said Turkey is trying to derive benefit from the formed situation
and is carrying out bargaining, which in many respects is aimed at
satisfaction of its interests. In particular, Turkey is trying to
revive its obsession to mediate in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement despite the opposition from Armenia. Ruben Safrastian
reminded that in 2001 former Turkish Foreign Minister Ismayil Jem
offered Turkey’s mediation in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict.

“Today Turkey, making use of the interest of the U.S. in itself in
connection with the Iranian crisis, is trying to press upon Armenia
with the support of the U.S. and to squeeze itself into the process
of settlement,” Safrastian said. According to Ruben Safrastian,
in Turkey they consider that one of the main ways of strengthening
its influence in the South Caucasus is the mediation services in the
Nagorno Karabakh issue.

In this context Turkey is also interested in including its military
contingent in the peacekeeping forces in the zone of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. The scientist said that in the respect of increasing
its influence in the South Caucasus Turkey has made progress only in
Georgia that expresses willingness to join NATO. However, the Turks
have no progress either in Armenia or in Azerbaijan.

As for the latter, the expert reminded: “To all appearances, the
Turks have lost interest in Azerbaijan as they have no chances to
strengthen their influence in Azerbaijan, in any case, under Ilham
Aliyev. Of course, there is the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, there is
Turkish capital in Azerbaijan, military and political cooperation,
but the influence of the U.S., Russia and Iran becomes more and more
strong in Azerbaijan”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress