ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT CREATES NEW OPPORTUNITES, SAYS AZERBAIJANI ANALYST

Tert
Nov 16 2009
Armenia

Azerbaijani political analyst Rasim Agayev, in an interview with
Azerbajani news source Today.Az, commented on Azerbajan’s funding of
the Georgian section of Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway project.

According to Agayev, everything depends on improved relations between
Turkey and Armenia. "It [improved Armenia-Turkey relations] also
changes geopolitical situation in the region as a whole and makes
political climate much healthier creating new opportunities," noted
the analyst.

"I think if the borders are opened, (I have no doubt about it), many
planned projects will be reviewed and put aside. Nabucco project will
be reconsidered in a different way and Azerbaijan’s access to Tbilisi
will also be reconsidered — they were forced. Routes through Georgia
had been laid solely because of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and
strained Turkish-Armenian relations, as well as the Iranian factor,"
said Agayev.

In the analyst’s words, Georgia’s situation could be completely
altered: "This country [that is, Georgia] can no longer mean a
communication corridor to Armenia. Azerbaijan will cease to carry
everything through Georgia. It’s more expensive."