Political scientist: Turkey, dissatisfied with EU, tries to normalize relations with Russia
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YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS. Doctor in political sciences, professor Garik Keryan says Turkey, dissatisfied with the EU, tries to normalize its relations with Russia. There are preconditions for the normalization of the Turkish-Russian relations, and it is connected with the several political processes after the downing of the Russian plane.
He said Turkey downed the Russian plane and received the Western support instead of it, and also there were promises to receive 3 billion Euros to solve the refuge issue. Moreover, there were also promises for Turkish citizens to travel to Europe without visa.
“Later Turks were dissatisfied with the given promises and the elimination of visa regime, and thus, the promises were not made and Turkey changed its mind. And, this is connected also with a number of economic processes. In particular, Russia and Turkey mutually applied economic sanctions. As a result, a number of economic sectors of Turkey were affected. Now Turks have a lot to think about, whether it was worth to believe in the Western promises and had such losses”, Keryan stated.
From the other side, Russia saw that the West wants to frozen Turkey-Russia relations in order to close the southern road for Russia and to isolate it from the Middle-Eastern developments.
“Russia, trying to normalize relations with Turkey, in fact, wants to crack the West-Turkey tandem. Taking into account this, we see that new reformation of political interests is taking place. That’s why I will not be surprised with the normalization of Russian-Turkish relations”, Keryan stated.
He added that in any case Turkey will revise the cooperation formats with the West which are directed against Russia.
Professor was unable to say what impact the possible normalization of Russian-Turkish relations can have on the regional developments. He said first of all we should wait to see what stage this normalization process will reach.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğluannounced that Ankara wants to create a working group for the normalization of the Russian-Turkish relations.
Earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia wants to restore its relations with Turkey despite the Su-24 incident.
The relations between Russia and Turkey became tense in 2015 when Turkish air forces downed the Russian Su-24 plane.
Russia applied several sanctions against Turkey.