ICG: ANKARA’S BEST CHANCE OF BRINGING A NEW POSITIVE MOMENTUM TO NKR CONFLICT IS BY NORMALIZING TIES WITH ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
18.05.2009 21:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Regarding Nagorno-Karabakh, the best that can be
expected any time this year is agreement on the basic principles,
and the mediators sound optimistic about a possible breakthrough,"
Europe Program Director of the International Crisis Group Sabine
Freizer said commenting on the settlement of the conflict, APA reports.

"Another meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents is expected
in Saint Petersburg around 4-6 June. But there is a long-running
stalemate over several issues, including the modalities of a plan to
hold a referendum to determine Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status and the
status and size of a possible corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh with
Armenia in the Lachin district. Once an agreement on basic principles
is signed, lengthy and difficult talks await the sides to reach a
comprehensive settlement leading to the start of actual withdrawals,"
she said.

Sabine Freizer underlines that Turkey plays an important role in
the region, particularly in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict.

"There is no doubt that progress on resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict would enhance Turkey’s ability to normalize relations with
Armenia and stability in the South Caucasus. But Ankara’s best chance
of bringing a new positive momentum to the process is precisely by
normalizing with Armenia," she said.

Sabine Freizer says that optimism about the normalization of
Turkey-Armenia bilateral relations, so prevalent on 22 April when
the two countries announced that they had agreed on a comprehensive
framework for reconciliation, has suddenly faded. "Normalization
would include opening of the Turkey-Armenia border, establishing
diplomatic relations, and setting up of bilateral commissions to deal
with multiple issues, including the historical dimension of their
relations. It first seemed that these steps could be accomplished by
autumn 2009. Now they may be delayed for years. With his statement
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan put a brake on the reconciliation
effort when in Baku on 13 May."