RUBEN SAFRASTYAN: THE SOLUTION TO THE KARABAKH ISSUE HAS NOT MATURED
Nvard Davtyan

"Radiolur"
02.12.2009 18:48

"The approach of the main political vectors is that the normalization
of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict are two separate issues," Director of the Oriental Studies
Institute, Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan told a press conference today,
commenting on the statement made during the OSCE Ministerial in Athens.

"It’s good that Turley’s aspiration to tie the two issues did not
find serious adherents," Ruben Safrastyan said.

"The solution to the Karabakh conflict has not matured. Today the
parties have completely different positions on the main issue – the
status on Nagorno Karabakh. Therefore, any attempt to pressure the
parties to come to an agreement can bring to the aggravation of the
situation," he stated.

As for the Armenian-Turkish relations, Ruben Safrastyan considers
that Turkey will turn to the normalization of relations with Armenia
only after finding some solution to the Kurdish issue, and it’s a
matter of the near future. If the Turkish side violates the pace and
dynamics of the developments, it will endanger the whole process,"
Safrastyan concluded.