WILL ARMENIA BENEFIT FROM THE DEEPENING OF RUSSIA-TURKEY TIES?
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
16.02.2009 17:48

The Russian-Turkish meetings are important especially after the
elections of a new US President, analysts Alexander Iskandaryan and
Yervand Bozoyan told press conference today. Considering it logical
that the election of a new US President envisages certain change in
relations, the political scientists expressed the opinion that the
latest developments in the Russian-Turkish relations take place in
that context.

According to the political scientists, Russia is interested in
cooperating with Turkey with regard to ensuring security in the
region. One of the pivotal meanings of the Stability and Cooperation
Platform in the Caucasus proposed by Turkey was that regional powers,
not the distant US or Europe, should have a privileged position in
the region. This last factor brought about great interest in Moscow.

Political scientist Yervand Bozoyan noted that there are two views:
first, Turkey may use the situation, acquiring a much more active role
in the region, which can somehow counter Russia’s interests. However,
according to the second opinion, Turkey’s interest doesn’t counter
Russia’s interest, since Turkey possesses rather restricted resources
for working more actively in the region. Therefore, according to
Yervand Bozoyan, the Russian-Turkish ties will further deepen.

Director of the Caucasus Med ia Institute Alexander Iskandaryan
considers that the recent Russian-Turkish meetings were, definitely,
among the events with which Turkey is aspiring to gain a new role
in the region. "I think that the processes connected with Armenia,
the syndromes of opening of borders, normalization of relations with
Turkey were also to be discussed," Iskandaryan said.

Turning to the opening of borders, Yervand Bozoyan noted that
Turkey has posed certain preconditions for it, which contradicts our
national interests and expressed the opinion that the improvement
of Russian-Turkish relations could lead to the normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations. "But was could be the cost of
that improvement? I think that if we reach the opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border without any preconditions connected with the
Karabakh issue, it will be success for us."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress