ARMENIA TO BECOME MORE SELF-CONFIDENT: GEORGIAN EXPERT

news.am
Oct 26 2009
Armenia

Armenian-Turkish relations progress in the frames agreed upon by
the sides, Georgian political analyst Hamlet Chipashvili told in the
interview with Georgian Akhali Taoba daily.

According to him, Turkey wishes to open Armenian-Turkish border to
develop south provinces that are currently underdeveloped.

"Shortly the border will open, the ties will restore, which is fatal
for Georgia as its transit charges will reduce by 30-35%. Besides
the activeness in tourism sector will also decline. The majority of
tourists in Adjara are Armenians and will further go to Turkey for
an affordable rest," the expert underlined.

Chipashvili did not rule out that Turkey might pressurize Azerbaijan
to unblock the communication between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which
entails oil and gas supply from Azerbaijan to Turkey through Armenia.

"It might not happen that soon, but once it does, it will cause severe
economic loss to Georgia," he stated. According to Chipashvili, Armenia
will become more self-confident with the Armenian-Turkish relations’
normalization, that will bring peace to neither incumbent nor future
Georgian leadership."