ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ISSUE AS A MEANS FOR EXERTING PRESSURE ON TURKEY
Anna Nazaryan
"Radiolur"
02.04.2009 18:57
The rumors that US President Barack Obama will utter the word
genocide are just pressure on Turkey on the way of realization of
objectives of the United States. Some mention exact days of opening
the border. However, Turkologist Artak Shakaryan considers that there
is little possibility for its opening.
"Some progress in relations is possible within the coming months. The
border will be opened partially, the visa regime will be mitigated,"
he said.
According to Shakaryan, the Armenian-Turkish relations depend not
only on Armenia and Turkey: it is a diplomatic gamble on a higher
level. According to him, Barack Obama is not visiting Turkey for the
sake of Armenian-Turkish relations. He is coming to reach agreements
on a number of other issues.
Among those issues the Turkologist pointed out the forthcoming
presidential elections in Iran and the possible thaw in
American-Iranian relations, where Washington ascribes an important
role to Turkey, the improvement of Turkish-Russian relations and the
position of the United States.
However, According to Shakaryan, there may be some improvement in
the Armenian-Turkish relations as a result of Obama’s visit, which
will find its manifestation in milder statements of Turkish Foreign
Minister Ali Babacan during his visit to Armenia in April.