US ANALYST OPTIMISTIC ABOUT TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS

The Messenger
Feb 19 2010
Georgia

Analysts from the US analytical centre RAND think that improvement
of the relations between Armenia and Turkey will diminish Yerevan’s
dependence on Moscow both economically and politically. A document
analysing Turkish-Armenian relations says that Armenia could more
deeply integrate with regional economic or energy projects if relations
were improved, and this could simultaneously become a stimulus for
Turkey to integrate with the EU.

The analysts think however that this process will produce a certain
strain between Ankara and Baku. They say that the major stumbling
block in the process of Turkish-Armenian rapprochement is the Turkish
attempt to connect this with the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Furthermore, if the US Congress resolution about the Armenian genocide
is passed this will significantly damage Ankara-Washington relations.