Normalization of Russian-Turkish ties won’t have significant impact on Nagorno Karabakh issue

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Because of domestic and foreign issues, Turkey has appeared in a serious condition. As a result, Ankara is not only unable to reach its goal, but the positions of the country are also being weakened, due to the current situation. And it is no accident, that Turkey started the process of normalizing ties simultaneously with both Russia and Israel, says Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of Armenia.

“The apology letter to Russia wasn’t only Erdogan’s step, it was discussed with the Russians through diplomatic routes. Meaning Russians also have the desire to normalize ties with Turkey. I don’t find a coincidence last year’s announcement of Russia’s “SberBank” Manager Herman Gref about the normalization of ties with Turkey in 2016. This announcement was not a coincidence”, Safrastyan said.

“First of all the two are interested in the context of economical cooperation, because both Turkey and Russia are getting harmed in the current situation. Let me say that despite the two countries are interested in cooperation in the economic sense, however I think they remain enemies in the geostrategic sense. The interest of Russia and Turkey do not coincide neither in Southern Caucasus, nor in Syria”, he said.

According to him, the normalization of ties between Turkey and Russia will not have significant impact on the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

“When the Turkish-Russian relations were in pretty good condition, it didn’t particularly impact the Russian policy on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. If the normalization of ties begins, it won’t have a particular impact on Russia’s position on the Nagorno Karabakh issue. The two countries are competitors in the geostrategic sense, their interests do not coincide”, he said.