ARMENIAN EXPERT: RUSSIA PERSUADES TURKEY NOT TO LOSE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AND OPEN THE BORDER WITH ARMENIA IN OCTOBER

ArmInfo
2009-08-07 13:20:00

ArmInfo. Turkish officials show readiness to move forward in opening
the border with Armenia, Director of the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies Richard Giragosian told ArmInfo.

He said such readiness of the Turkish party is connected with the
recent statement of Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan where he called
on Turkey to take ‘real measures’ to change the existing situation
till his planned visit to the country in October. ‘Although it is still
early to draw conclusions, but the fact that Turkey responded to S.

Sargsyan’s statement and is ready at least to contribute to
this "symbolic opening" of the Armenian-Turkish border, is a good
news. This gives a new reason for optimism, i.e. that the process may
move forward’, the expert said. Moreover, R. Giragosian emphasized
that Turkey’s readiness to open the border is directly connected with
President Sargsyan’s address to official Ankara for the latter to show
a ‘good will’ and fulfill the agreements reached between the parties
around the ‘Roadmap’. ‘It is especially curious that Turkey showed
its desire to open the border to guarantee the Armenian president’s
visit to the country just after the recent visit of the Russian Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin to Turkey. I think it indicates that Russia
wishes for Turkey not to lose this opportunity and normalize the
relations with Armenia’, Giragosian resumed.