TURKISH EXPERT: NO SERIOUS COMPETITION FOR RUSSIA BY TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Oct 15, 2009

BURSA (TURKEY), October 15. / ARKA /. Turkish expert, senior analyst at
the European Stability Initiative Nigar Goksel doubted that the Turkish
businessmen can seriously compete with Russia’s businesses in Armenia.

"We do not expect Armenia to have the same number Russian and Turkish
businessmen and they will have the same power," Goksel said in an
interview.

According to her, in the case of the establishment of bilateral
relations and opening of the borders no large-scale Turkish investments
will be present in Armenia.

"Investments are possible at the level of small industries, but they
will not so much pressure on Armenia," Goksel said.

She believes that to a large extent, from the opening of the borders
will benefit the eastern regions of Turkey, bordering Armenia.

"According to many professionals, tourism and retail trade will
also benefit, but there will not be any opportunities for larger
businesses," Goksel said.

At the same time, the expert said that the best scenario for
both Armenian and Turkish businessmen is not only the opening
the Armenian-Turkish border, but also the parallel opening of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

On October 10, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey, Edward
Nalbandyan and Ahmet Davutoglu, signed the "protocol on establishing
diplomatic relations and a protocol on development of bilateral
relations" at the University of Zurich.

The protocols are to enter into force after approval by the parliaments
of two states.

Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became
independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Turkey closed its border
with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally, Azerbaijan,
which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic
Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan.

There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of
normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara’s
blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution process and Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the mass
killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as
genocide.

The thaw in the strained relations began in 2008 September after
Turkish president Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia, at his counterpart’s
invitation, to watch together with Serzh Sargsyan the 2010 World Cup
qualifying football game between the two countries’ national teams.

During that visit the two presidents discussed prospects for engaging
in dialogue and normalization of relations.