TURKEY’S DESIRE TO NORMALIZE TIES WITH ARMENIA AROUSES CONTROVERSIES IN BAKU

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.04.2009 17:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Erdoghan’s visit to Baku may relieve existing
tension, political scientist Rasim Agaev said.

According to Azeri political scientist, the Turkish premier is leaving
for Baku to clarify Ankara and Baku’s current disposition towards
Armenian-Turkish talks.

"While Armenia was blockaded by Turkey and Azerbaijan, we maintained
friendly ties, but now, Turkey’s desire to normalize relations
with Armenia has caused serious controversy between us. The thing’s
that Turkey’s initiative to close the border was a manifestation of
unanimity in Turkish world. And Azerbaijan wants official Ankara to
carry through the process, forcing Armenia to change its position on
the Karabakh conflict," Mr. Agaev said.

The political scientist is convinced that "The current initiatives
towards opening borders may deprive Azerbaijan of good chances in
the upcoming Karabakh settlement talks, forcing official Baku to
search extra tools of influence." "If the situation continues, the
current information war in the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations may
develop into something more negative. I think the current squabble
in the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations is a negative sign fraught with
serious consequences for Turkey," the political scientist noted.

"This is the reason I attach importance to Mr. Erdoghan’s visit aimed
at clarifying details in the current talks with Armenia and explaining
the essence of the so-called Armenian-Turkish ‘route map’. If the US
has committed itself to the Armenian-Turkish ties normalization, we
are required to wait for serious changes, clarifying all the moments
which still remain obscure. Erdoghan’s visit to Baku may relieve the
current tension," 1news.az reports, quoting Agaev.

According to mass media reports, Recep Tayyip Erdoghan is to visit
Baku within the coming few days.