APA, Azerbaijan
April 23 2010

Azeri analysts hail Armenia’s move to freeze ratification of pact with Turkey

Azerbaijani political analysts have hailed Armenia’s decision to
suspend the protocols on normalizing of ties with Turkey.

Rasim Musabayov said Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s decision
benefited both Turkey and Azerbaijan. Musabayov believes that the
suspension of the protocols indicated Armenia’s failure to spoil the
Turkey-Azerbaijan relations: "After a very short hesitation Turkey
confirmed that it values Azerbaijani-Turkish alliance. Sargsyan’s
decision is very positive both for Turkey and Azerbaijan."

Another analyst Ilqar Mammadov said Armenia understands that the
opening of Turkish-Armenian border is linked to the settlement of
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and therefore, by suspending the
ratification process Armenia will direct all of its efforts to the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

"Compared to Turkey Sargsyan was more interested in ratification of
the protocols. Armenia, who rejects the link between Turkish-Armenian
rapprochement and the Baku-Yerevan negotiations, suspends ratification
of the protocols in order to direct all its efforts towards Karabakh
negotiations. As soon as there is a progress which satisfies Turkey,
Armenia will again go back to the ratification of the protocols." APA
news agency quoted Ilqar Mammadov as saying.

Former presidential aide Vafa Quluzada believes that US and Russian
interests clashed: "Russia has scored for now and retained Armenia as
its outpost, protected Yerevan from Western influence and prevented
the opening of borders with Turkey".

[translated from Azeri]