SOLI OZEL: IF TURKEY OPENED BORDER WITH ARMENIA, IT WOULD HAVE MUCH MORE INFLUENCE ON ARMENIA THAN IT HAS TODAY
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.09.2007 15:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian issue will be a priority for the
new government because it’s blocking our international relations,
says Soli Ozel, a senior lecturer in international relations and
political science at Istanbul Bilgi University, specializing in
Turkey’s relations with the United States.
"There has been talk that the Turkish government should do something
about the border with Armenia.
Some say Armenians should do something before Turkey does something,"
he said.
The only reason why Turkey would not do such a thing is because of
Azerbaijan and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, according to him. "If
Turkey were to open the [border] gate with Armenia, it would have
much more influence on Armenia than it has today. Secondly, it will
be better able to explain its position, because many foreigners do
not know of our unofficial ties between Yerevan and Turkey. And
finally, border towns want the borders to be opened because they
suffer economically. I think we should also reason it out with the
Azeris as well and get on with life. This would be enough to help
Turkey with the Armenian resolution," he said, Today’s Zaman reports.