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The Messenger, Georgia
July 23 2010
Turkey and South Caucasus: Polish analyst's view
Thursday, July 22
Polish political analyst Lukasz Racinski, says that the normalisation
of Turkish`Armenian relations has been postponed. He thinks that
Russia has taken `necessary steps for this'. Moscow has no interest at
all in Armenian`Turkish relations being regulated as The Kremlin would
prefer to keep the status quo, which is the most beneficial situation
for Moscow. There is also the Azeri factor to consider, as Azerbaijan
is not at all happy at the prospect of Turkish`Armenian relations
thawing.
Racinski thinks that the South Caucasus has fallen down the list of
priorities in the Turkish foreign policy system. He says that the West
is Turkey's current priority, followed by the Middle East and then the
Balkan countries. Only then does the South Caucasus appear.
Racinski states that the regulating of Armenian-Turkish relations
depends very much on regulating the Karabakh conflict. These two
issues are closely connected. However he thinks that Russia retains
the key role in resolving the Karabakh conflict and Ankara does not
posses significant levers to force Russia to do so. As has been said,
Russia wants to retain the status quo in Karabakh too to keep Armenia
as its ally and a solid base for the Russian armed forces in the
region.
From: A. Papazian
July 23 2010
Turkey and South Caucasus: Polish analyst's view
Thursday, July 22
Polish political analyst Lukasz Racinski, says that the normalisation
of Turkish`Armenian relations has been postponed. He thinks that
Russia has taken `necessary steps for this'. Moscow has no interest at
all in Armenian`Turkish relations being regulated as The Kremlin would
prefer to keep the status quo, which is the most beneficial situation
for Moscow. There is also the Azeri factor to consider, as Azerbaijan
is not at all happy at the prospect of Turkish`Armenian relations
thawing.
Racinski thinks that the South Caucasus has fallen down the list of
priorities in the Turkish foreign policy system. He says that the West
is Turkey's current priority, followed by the Middle East and then the
Balkan countries. Only then does the South Caucasus appear.
Racinski states that the regulating of Armenian-Turkish relations
depends very much on regulating the Karabakh conflict. These two
issues are closely connected. However he thinks that Russia retains
the key role in resolving the Karabakh conflict and Ankara does not
posses significant levers to force Russia to do so. As has been said,
Russia wants to retain the status quo in Karabakh too to keep Armenia
as its ally and a solid base for the Russian armed forces in the
region.
From: A. Papazian