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VOICE OF RUSSIA: TURKEY MAY OPEN BORDER WITH ARMENIA
by Ashot Safaryan
Thursday, February 13, 13:35
Turkey may open its border with Armenia shortly, according to an item
published on the website of the Voice of Russia Radio.
Referring to a Turkish newspaper Aksam, the author of the item says
that Turkey is going to open up-to- date border crossings on the
border with Armenia and Iran with the support of the EU. Demining
activities have been launched in the eastern direction of the border.
The project will cost nearly 52 million EUR. The Armenian-Georgian
border undergoes modernization simultaneously.
The Turkey-Armenia-Georgia route may become quite busy, because
Brussels never wastes money, though the Turkish-Armenian border is
so far closed and the two countries have no diplomatic relations.
Armenia and Turkey signed the "Protocol on the establishment
of diplomatic relations" and the "Protocol on the development of
bilateral relations" in Zurich on October 10 2009. Following Turkey's
unwillingness to ratify the protocols and attempts to link ratification
with the Karabakh conflict made President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
sign a decree on suspension of the procedure of ratification of the
Armenian -Turkish protocols. Nevertheless, the relations of the two
countries experience certain changes.
The author outlines the new geopolitical realities in the South
Caucasus, Armenia's accession to the Customs Union and then to the
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). For Turkey the border with Armenia
may get a status of the border with the EAEU.
"According to Today's Zaman, after the P5+1 and Iran agreed on
a landmark deal in Geneva, Tehran is gradually getting out of the
international isolation and becoming a big player in the region. Due
to its stable trade and economic relations with Armenia, Iran gets
a direct access to the Customs Union via Armenia - something that
Turkey lacks so far. Consequently, the closed border with Armenia
will no longer be a measure of political pressure for Turkey. It
may become a problem of the lost economic opportunities. As regards
Turkey's relations with Azerbaijan and its stance on the Karabakh
conflict, it would be right encouraging Baku and Yerevan to establish
a dialogue and achieve agreements. The experience of the so- called
Arab spring and the Syrian conflict shows that such policy of Turkey
just aggravates the situation and impedes the possibilities of the
Turkish diplomacy. It was not for nothing that Turkey welcomed the
meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents after a two-year
interval, which may lead to a 'road map' on the Karabakh peace process.
Modernization of the Turkish-Armenian border and demining on the
near-border areas shows that Ankara has a positive scenario and seems
to be preparing to lift the blockade of Armenia," the author writes.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=8B051F50-949A-11E3-A6610EB7C0D21663
From: Baghdasarian
by Ashot Safaryan
Thursday, February 13, 13:35
Turkey may open its border with Armenia shortly, according to an item
published on the website of the Voice of Russia Radio.
Referring to a Turkish newspaper Aksam, the author of the item says
that Turkey is going to open up-to- date border crossings on the
border with Armenia and Iran with the support of the EU. Demining
activities have been launched in the eastern direction of the border.
The project will cost nearly 52 million EUR. The Armenian-Georgian
border undergoes modernization simultaneously.
The Turkey-Armenia-Georgia route may become quite busy, because
Brussels never wastes money, though the Turkish-Armenian border is
so far closed and the two countries have no diplomatic relations.
Armenia and Turkey signed the "Protocol on the establishment
of diplomatic relations" and the "Protocol on the development of
bilateral relations" in Zurich on October 10 2009. Following Turkey's
unwillingness to ratify the protocols and attempts to link ratification
with the Karabakh conflict made President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
sign a decree on suspension of the procedure of ratification of the
Armenian -Turkish protocols. Nevertheless, the relations of the two
countries experience certain changes.
The author outlines the new geopolitical realities in the South
Caucasus, Armenia's accession to the Customs Union and then to the
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). For Turkey the border with Armenia
may get a status of the border with the EAEU.
"According to Today's Zaman, after the P5+1 and Iran agreed on
a landmark deal in Geneva, Tehran is gradually getting out of the
international isolation and becoming a big player in the region. Due
to its stable trade and economic relations with Armenia, Iran gets
a direct access to the Customs Union via Armenia - something that
Turkey lacks so far. Consequently, the closed border with Armenia
will no longer be a measure of political pressure for Turkey. It
may become a problem of the lost economic opportunities. As regards
Turkey's relations with Azerbaijan and its stance on the Karabakh
conflict, it would be right encouraging Baku and Yerevan to establish
a dialogue and achieve agreements. The experience of the so- called
Arab spring and the Syrian conflict shows that such policy of Turkey
just aggravates the situation and impedes the possibilities of the
Turkish diplomacy. It was not for nothing that Turkey welcomed the
meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents after a two-year
interval, which may lead to a 'road map' on the Karabakh peace process.
Modernization of the Turkish-Armenian border and demining on the
near-border areas shows that Ankara has a positive scenario and seems
to be preparing to lift the blockade of Armenia," the author writes.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=8B051F50-949A-11E3-A6610EB7C0D21663
From: Baghdasarian