ARGUMENTS THAT ARMENIA WOULD BENEFIT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM REOPENING OF BORDER WITH TURKEY EXAGGERATED: EXPERT

/ ARKA /
October 27, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 27, /ARKA/. Richard Giragossian an American-Armenian
analyst specializing in international relations, with a focus on
economics, military security and political developments in the former
Soviet Union, the Middle East and Asia, said today arguments that
Armenia would significantly benefit from the reopening of its border
with Turkey are ‘somewhat exaggerated.’

Richard Giragossian, who serves as director of the Yerevan-based
Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS),
downplayed expectations that Armenian economy would get a strong once
it gets an outlet to the Black Sea.

The opening of the border would certainly ‘breathe oxygen’ into
Armenian economy, but the positive aftereffects would not be as big
as many experts and officials claim, he said, adding that the Turkish
government would enforce a tough policy to limit Armenian exports.

On October 10 Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers signed two
protocols on establishment of diplomatic relations and development of
bilateral relations, which yet need to be ratified by the parliaments
of both countries.

The two countries have no diplomatic ties, the border was closed in
1993 by Turkey and there is a history of animosity that stems from
the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire.