AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL EXPERT: ARMENIA FAILED TO LIVE UP TO EXPECTATIONS

Today
April 9 2010
Azerbaijan

The forthcoming meeting between Armenian President and Turkish Prime
Minister in Washington is very important with subsequent developments
in our region being dependant on it, Azerbaijani political expert
Eldar Namazov said.

"In the context of the Sargsyan-Erdoga meeting, one must take
into account that Azerbaijan has recently agreed to updated Madrid
principles, while Armenia has not yet given a positive response yet as
well as the fact that Ankara has clearly stated its position on the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno- Karabakh conflict and Armenian-Turkish
normalization," the expert said.

"For me, it is clear that Turkey cannot change its position 180
degrees and take serious steps to normalize relations with Armenia
without reaching any steps in the Karabakh conflict," the political
expert added.

"It is also clear that Armenia’s position is now much weaker. It did
not live up to expectations. The OSCE Minsk Group and the international
community expected Armenia to provide a positive response to the
updated Madrid principles developed on basis of the OSCE Minsk Group
proposals. In this respect, I think that any concession on part of
the Turkish Prime Minister is impossible.

Sargsyan will not be able to persuade Erdogan to make concessions,"
Namazov noted.

"Serzh Sargsyan is less likely to compromise in wake of the meeting
with Erdogan in these issues," the expert underscored.