TURKEY, ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJAN WRANGLE OVER KARABAKH

EurasiaNet.org
es/eav120209a.shtml
Dec 2 2009
NY

Despite optimism from international negotiators about a breakthrough
on Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations, jostling among Armenia, Turkey
and Azerbaijan persisted during a December 1-2 Ministerial Council
session. The session was convened under the auspices of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

At the session, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davitoglu repeated
earlier assertions that Ankara will only proceed with plans to open
Turkey’s border with Armenia, if Yerevan makes concessions to Baku in
the Karabakh peace process, the Kavkazsky Uzel news service reported
December 2.

Armenia has insisted all along that the opening of the border should
not be linked to the Karabakh issue. These differences threaten to
dent the momentum in the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation. Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan said recently that Yerevan will not wait
forever until Ankara makes up its mind about opening the border.

But commentators in Armenia say that trade opportunities with Turkey
and international pressure may convince Yerevan to return to Azerbaijan
territories that are occupied by Armenian forces. The occupied
territories currently act as a defensive ring for Karabakh proper.