YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s desire to raise the Karabakh issue at the meeting with Russian and Iranian presidents in Sochi will not turn into reality, Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Oriental Institute, expert on Turkish studies, told Armenpress, stating that Erdogan’s such statements on the Karabakh conflict are nothing new.

“Erdogan made such a statement before the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but after that the issue was not discussed. Now we see that Erdogan is trying hard to raise this issue. I am convinced that he will not manage to include the issue in the discussion agenda of the three presidents”, Ruben Safrastyan said.

According to him, the negotiations over the settlement of the Karabakh conflict are being held by the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group which maintains its key significance.

“I think that both the president of Russia and the Iranian president will not react to Erdogan’s cunning. Erdogan’s such step is nothing new, he regularly raises the Karabakh issue, tries to show that he plays a key role in the region, tries to be included in the Co-Chairs’ circle, but all his attempts failed”, Ruben Safrastyan said.

The expert on Turkish studies noted that Putin-Rouhani-Erdogan meeting agenda focuses on Syria. The peaceful settlement stage launches in Syria in which the Russian, Iranian and Turkish presidents play a key role.  

Erdogan on November 22 announced that he is going to raise the Karabakh issue during the meeting with the Russian and Iranian presidents. “Russia is the only power that can solve this issue”, Erdogan said.