EXPERT: TURKISH PEOPLE WON’T ALLOW AUTHORITIES TO MEET ARMENIA HALFWAY, IGNORING BAKU’S INTERESTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.07.2008 13:16 GMT+04:00

Turkish expert Mitat Celikpala said the border with Armenia won’t
be opened ‘unless the latter abandons the Azeri territories.’

"These are not declarative announcements but Turkey’s state policy
of the. Global geopolitics clashed in the South Caucasus and Turkey
doesn’t want to lose this big game. That is why it has to open a
kind of dialogue with Armenia. But it doesn’t mean that Turkey will
sacrifice Azerbaijan’s interests. Turkish people won’t allow the
authorities to meet Armenia halfway, ignoring the interests of a
fraternal country," he said.

Commenting on Russia’s position, Celikpala said that Foreign Minister
Lavrov’s recent visit to Ankara gives something to think about and
can appear as Moscow’s keen geopolitical game.

"Relations between Turkey and Russia have improved recently. The
Russian factor is gaining weight on Ankara. I do not rule out that
the Armenian-Turkish talks were discussed during Lavrov’s visit. It’s
well known that Armenia won’t take a step without coordinating it
with Moscow," the expert said, 1news.az reports.