TURKEY PLAYS TO RUSSIA IN CAUCASUS

Sep. 08, 2008

Russia and Turkey have set to fulfilling the program of creating the
Caucasus Cooperation and Stability Platform. Past weekend, Turkish
President Abdullah Gul endeavored to persuade his Armenian counterpart
Serge Sarkisian of the need to set up a new alliance. The same issue
was discussed when Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mamediyarov
visited Moscow. The alliance will strengthen the Caucasus standing
of Moscow and Ankara and weaken the position of Washington there.

Gul that arrived in Armenia Saturday was the first Turkish leader
to set foot in that country. The highlights of the meeting were the
improvement of bilateral relations and the chances to create the
Caucasus Cooperation and Stability Platform. Erevan backed up the
initiative of Ankara, and President Sarkisian assured that Armenia had
been always welcoming the dialogue and had always stood for enhancing
the confidence, security and cooperation in the region.

The presidents will proceed with the talks when Sarkisian visits
Ankara by invitation of Abdullah Gul. For Erevan, the emergence of the
platform means its relations with Turkey will become normal, the border
will open and the goods of Armenia will flow to the markets of Turkey.

Azerbaijan didn’t hail that visit of Turkish president, which,
however, will hardly prevent Baku from joining a new alliance
initiated by Turkey should i t wish to do so, of course. Although
Azerbaijan has been manifesting the strive for cooperating with the
West and for joining the NATO, the war for South Ossetia might have
made some changes.

As to Moscow, it may offer two weighty arguments to Azerbaijan in an
attempt to win its support and abandon the western collaboration. Both
of them relate to settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while
Georgia will serve as a negative example. That state failed to deal
with Abkhazia and South Ossetia all support of the United States
notwithstanding.