TURKEY HAS TO CHOSE: ARMENIA OR AZERBAIJAN? SAY ANALYSTS
Tert.am
18:13 16.10.09
During his meeting with Armenian journalists, Turkey’s Labor and Social
Security Minister Faruk Celik tried to develop the following idea:
"We are signing the protocols and opening the border. This was Turkey’s
greatest concession to Armenia. What concessions is Armenia ready to
make?" said Turkologist Artak Shakaryan at a press conference today.
Armenian paper Azg analyst Hakob Chakryan added that after these
statements by the state minister, journalists said, opening of
the border is not a concession: "When one of two sides closes a
border during a time of no war, it is a violation of international
norms. Consequently, the Turkish side, by opening the border, is not
making any sort of concessions to Armenia," Chakryan has said.
The Turkologist referred to a number of other issues which give
Turkey’s leadership reason to be anxious. Thus, according to some
Turkish ministers, Turkey cannot stand to lose Azerbaijan.
"That was discussed, that Turkey cannot put Azerbaijan in the situation
which Armenia currently finds itself in. Improving relations with one
neighbour cannot allow problems to emerge with the other neighbour,"
Chakryan added.
As to Turkey’s interests if the Armenian-Turkish border opens,
he stated that Armenia responded to the Turkish prime minister’s
proposal to create a platform for stability and cooperation. Turkish
prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had made such a suggestion after
the events in South Ossetia.
"If Armenia said ‘no’ that initiative would fail immediately,"
Chakryan concluded.