ALEXANDER ISKANDARYAN: RA PRESIDENT IS VERY LIKELY TO LEAVE FOR TURKEY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
24.08.2009 16:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian-Turkish rapprochement is not in frozen
state; it is in progress, and likelihood for sudden breaks is very
little, Caucasus Institute Director, political scientist Alexander
Iskandaryan told today a news conference in Yerevan. "Turkey is
currently conducting energy policy in the region, which began long
ago. Ankara wishes to become a gas link between Europe and Russia,
and in that context, it attaches importance to ‘zero programs with
neighboring states’. And that is not an easy task for a country like
Turkey which used to be an Empire," Armenian expert noted.

"Developments observed in Armenian-Turkish relations over the recent
years are already serious, and while several years ago Armenia and
Turkey viewed bilateral relations from historical angle, they are
now discussing real political problems."

"Doors are still open for normalizing relations between two
countries. There is a serious progress in bilateral relations. Besides,
freezing in Armenian-Turkish process is not advantageous to
Ankara. President Sargsyan’s recent statement on going to Turkey to
watch Armenia-Turkey return football match only in case the border
opens or countries are in the run-up to lifting the blockade became
a kind of message not only for Ankara but also United States, Europe
and Azerbaijan," Alexander Iskandaryan said, adding that President
is very likely to leave for Turkey.

Return match between Armenian and Turkish national teams within WC
2010 frameworks is due on October 14 in Bursa, in the stadium named
after Ataturk.