Border Opening In Turkey’s Interests: Russian Expert

BORDER OPENING IN TURKEY’S INTERESTS: RUSSIAN EXPERT

News.am
14:10 / 10/15/2009

"Azerbaijani position in Turkey is extremely strong and both nations
are very close, thus, I do not think that Erdogan administration
will take a risk of the Protocols’ ratification," said Alexander
Sotnichenko, the expert of St. Petersburg Modern Middle East Research
Center. "On the other hand, Turkey is pressurized by the West and
again all leads to Karabakh issue," the expert stated.

According to him, Ankara will try to hold consultations with Azerbaijan
and the border opening is just a matter of time. "If it proceeds from
Turkey’s interests, and apparently it so, the border opening is a
matter of time. In principle, powerful Turkish economy will take over
the Armenian weak one and possibly this will assist the solution to
the Karabakh problem. But Armenia is likely to toughen its stand,"
Sotnichenko concluded.