RUSSIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONSHIP IMPROVEMENT STALLS
ARKA
March 10, 2010
YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. Sergey Markedonov, chief of Political
and Military Analysis Institute’s international relations division,
thinks the process of Armenian-Turkish relationship improvement is
stagnant now.
"Stagnation is not death, but it is a certain delay. Sides are
thinking over the matter, gauging possible costs and so on," he
said at Yerevan-Moscow-Tbilisi video bridge staged by RIA Novosti
News Agency for discussing the recent opening of Upper Lars border
checkpoint and Russian-Georgian-Armenian interests in that.
In this connection, the political analyst said that Kazbegi-Upper
Lars checkpoint opening will help Armenia’s economy and maybe allow
Armenia "to take a better justified break in the stalled improvement
of Armenian-Turkish relations.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993.
Ankara has set a number of preconditions for improving its relations
with Armenia.
Ankara demanded Armenia to stop seeking worldwide recognition of
Armenian genocide fact.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993.
Relations between Armenia and Turkey that have been tense until
recently starter improving after Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers
– Edward Nalbandyan and Ahmet Davutoglu – signed the protocols on
October 10, 2009, on establishment of diplomatic ties between the
two countries and development of bilateral relations.
The protocols are waiting for ratification by both countries’
parliaments. After ratification the countries will be able to open
their border.