GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN: THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDVEDEV’S VISIT TO TURKEY SHOULD NOT BE OVERESTIMATED
Lilit Muradyn

"Radiolur"
13.05.2010 18:00

"I would not overestimate the importance of Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev’s visit to Turkey," President of the "Noravank" Foundation
Gagik Harutyunyan told a press conference today. "The visit was aimed
at improving the trade-economic relations between the two countries,
he added.

According to Gagik Harutyunyan, the Armenian side has always been
sensitive to the Russian-Turkish relations. "We should not forget,
however, that these relations were established still in the 18th
century. Russia has launched about 12 wars against Turkey ever since.

Finally, Russia is the country that has always been defending Armenia’s
interests," he said.

As for the talks about Turkey’s involvement in the Karabakh settlement
process as a Minsk Group co-chair country, Gagik Harutyunyan says it
does not proceed from the interests of the superpowers.

"I think this is nothing more than a wish, the superpowers – Russia,
US and France – do not dream to see Turkey as a Minsk Group co-chair,"
he stated.

Speaking about the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations, the political scientists said "the process has not stopped,
but its first stage is over." According to him, the second stage will
start sooner or later. "Some steps are being taken in that direction,"
he added.