TURKEY MUST OPEN ITS BORDER WITH ARMENIA

AZG Armenian Daily
26/08/2008

Armenia-Turkey

Experienced Turkish diplomat and political scientist Mehmed Bayar
stated that Turkey must open its border with Armenia. In an interview
to Miliet newspaper Bayar said that Turkey suffers most from the
closure of its Armenian border.

"As long as the border is close, the influence of Turkey in South
Caucasus will be limited, and Turkey will not be able to appear
to the world as a fair and mediating state. Ankara shall have the
initiative of this strategic decision. Opening the border without any
precondition Turkey shall weaken the Armenian allegations regarding
history. If Turkey is not to lose its position in South Caucasus,
it should do that," assured Bayar.

According to Milliet, Bayar was the first diplomat to represent Turkey
at the talks on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, and the regional experience of
Bayar had decisive role in Erdogan’s initiative on the new Caucasian
union.