RUSSIAN EXPERT ON ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION PROCESS
News.am
19:56 / 10/12/2009
"The very fact of frequent meetings between the Armenian and Russian
Presidents is a positive one. They would regularly meet even if
the Armenian-Turkish Protocols had not been signed — a great many
issues have to be discussed," Konstantin Zatulin, Director of the
Institute of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and member of
the International Affairs Committee, RF State Duma, told NEWS.am.
Commenting on the Medvedev-Sargsyan meeting on October 12, Zatulin
pointed out that the Armenian leader informed his Russian counterpart
of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process. "The normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations is an important and desired event, and
the point of the discussion is whether everybody understands the
process right. One thing is normalization based on understanding,
confession and repentance, another thing is when the topic is not
addressed thereby leaving room for manipulations," Zatulin said.
As regards the time frame of the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement,
intensification of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and Serzh
Sargsyan’s visit to Moscow on October 12, Zatuln pointed out that
Russia is sincerely interested in Armenian-Azerbaijani reconciliation,
without, however, imposing the ways of settling the conflict on
them. As to his personal opinion, he doubts that the Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenians can be persuaded into renouncing their right to independence
and self-determination. "A realistic view of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process should be taken. The existence of Nagorno-Karabakh can hardly
be denied. Other concessions can be discussed. As regards Azerbaijan,
it is, most likely, not yet ready to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh
people’s right to self-determination. Under the circumstances, the
only thing to do is to focus on maintaining the cease-fire regime and
ruling out any attempts to settle the conflict in a military way. Any
such attempt will turn out badly for the sides," Zatulin said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
