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news.am, Armenia
Nov 26 2011
Rapprochement with Armenia can become counterbalance to `Arab spring'
factor in Turkish foreign policy - expert
November 26, 2011 | 19:46
PARIS. - Though Turkey has not ratified the Protocols on establishing
diplomatic relations with Armenia, it would like to find a way for it,
researcher on Turkish politics, expert at French Institute of
International Relations (IFRI) Dorothy Schmidt told Armenian
News-NEWS.am commenting on the recent statement of the Turkish
President Abdullah Gul regarding the Protocols.
Gul has stated on Wednesday in London that the Protocols are not dead.
However, relations between the two states cannot be normalized in
short term. Armenian-Turkish relations are frozen as much as they
cannot melt by one blow, Turkish President has said.
In response to the question whether the main prerequisite for the
normalization of the relations is still the Karabakh conflict, Schmidt
said that it is quite possible. However, it is necessary to remember
that Turkish authorities would have liked to find means to adopt the
Protocols. Normalization of the relations will improve the image of
the Turkish diplomacy. There is a will for it, however it is not
possible at the moment, Schmidt added.
According to her, currently "Arab spring" creates a difficult
situation for the Turkish diplomacy in the context of "zero problems
with neighbors' official policy. Difficulties mainly rise with Syria
and Iran, which show dissatisfaction for the installment of the U.S.
elements of anti-missile defense in the territory of Turkey. For the
pristine image of the politics of "soft power" by Turkey, it should
seek new equilibrium points. Thus, the revival of the issue of
rapprochement with Armenia is quite natural, the expert concluded.
Nov 26 2011
Rapprochement with Armenia can become counterbalance to `Arab spring'
factor in Turkish foreign policy - expert
November 26, 2011 | 19:46
PARIS. - Though Turkey has not ratified the Protocols on establishing
diplomatic relations with Armenia, it would like to find a way for it,
researcher on Turkish politics, expert at French Institute of
International Relations (IFRI) Dorothy Schmidt told Armenian
News-NEWS.am commenting on the recent statement of the Turkish
President Abdullah Gul regarding the Protocols.
Gul has stated on Wednesday in London that the Protocols are not dead.
However, relations between the two states cannot be normalized in
short term. Armenian-Turkish relations are frozen as much as they
cannot melt by one blow, Turkish President has said.
In response to the question whether the main prerequisite for the
normalization of the relations is still the Karabakh conflict, Schmidt
said that it is quite possible. However, it is necessary to remember
that Turkish authorities would have liked to find means to adopt the
Protocols. Normalization of the relations will improve the image of
the Turkish diplomacy. There is a will for it, however it is not
possible at the moment, Schmidt added.
According to her, currently "Arab spring" creates a difficult
situation for the Turkish diplomacy in the context of "zero problems
with neighbors' official policy. Difficulties mainly rise with Syria
and Iran, which show dissatisfaction for the installment of the U.S.
elements of anti-missile defense in the territory of Turkey. For the
pristine image of the politics of "soft power" by Turkey, it should
seek new equilibrium points. Thus, the revival of the issue of
rapprochement with Armenia is quite natural, the expert concluded.