ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS ARE BASED ON POLITICAL REALITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 21, 2010 – 14:49 AMT 09:49 GMT

Political analyst Sergey Markedonov said that the current developments
in the region – the attempts to normalize the Armenian-Turkish and
Russian-Georgian relations, are a result of empires’ collapse.

"Parallels can be drawn between the Armenian-Turkish and
Russian-Georgian relations, but these processes have more differences
than similarities," Mr. Markedonov told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"Heirs of the Armenian Genocide survivors became rather successful
businessmen and politicians in the U.S., Russia and Europe. The
situation with Russia and Georgia is different. From time to time,
the sides make controversial statements. Meanwhile, Georgians have
huge business in Moscow, paying taxes to the Russian budget. Besides,
Georgian cultural and political elite is also in Russia, what cannot
be said of Armenians in Turkey," he said.

Based on political reality, Armenian-Turkish relations are more
rational than Russian-Georgian ones, according to Mr. Markedonov.

"Initially, many "optimists" were inadequately estimating the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols, but the countries have managed to achieve
the maximum," the expert said, adding that the most important thing
is that the process has started, despite the influence of internal
and external political factors.