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  • Ruben Safrastian: Turkey Wants To Revive Its Obsession To Mediate In

    RUBEN SAFRASTIAN: TURKEY WANTS TO REVIVE ITS OBSESSION TO MEDIATE IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

    Yerkir.am
    April 14, 2006

    "In my opinion, Turkey is trying to receive dividends from the fact
    that the U.S. is interested in it in connection with the possible
    military operations against Iran," Ruben Safrastian, head of the
    National Academy of Sciences' Department of Turkey said in his
    interview with Noyan Tapan.

    He said Turkey is trying to derive benefit from the formed situation
    and is carrying out bargaining, which in many respects is aimed at
    satisfaction of its interests. In particular, Turkey is trying to
    revive its obsession to mediate in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
    settlement despite the opposition from Armenia. Ruben Safrastian
    reminded that in 2001 former Turkish Foreign Minister Ismayil Jem
    offered Turkey's mediation in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
    conflict.

    "Today Turkey, making use of the interest of the U.S. in itself in
    connection with the Iranian crisis, is trying to press upon Armenia
    with the support of the U.S. and to squeeze itself into the process
    of settlement," Safrastian said. According to Ruben Safrastian,
    in Turkey they consider that one of the main ways of strengthening
    its influence in the South Caucasus is the mediation services in the
    Nagorno Karabakh issue.

    In this context Turkey is also interested in including its military
    contingent in the peacekeeping forces in the zone of the Nagorno
    Karabakh conflict. The scientist said that in the respect of increasing
    its influence in the South Caucasus Turkey has made progress only in
    Georgia that expresses willingness to join NATO. However, the Turks
    have no progress either in Armenia or in Azerbaijan.

    As for the latter, the expert reminded: "To all appearances, the
    Turks have lost interest in Azerbaijan as they have no chances to
    strengthen their influence in Azerbaijan, in any case, under Ilham
    Aliyev. Of course, there is the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, there is
    Turkish capital in Azerbaijan, military and political cooperation,
    but the influence of the U.S., Russia and Iran becomes more and more
    strong in Azerbaijan".

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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