MP allows "moderate optimism" in Armenia-Turkey processes

PanARMENIAN.Net - Lawmaker from Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party Arsen Torosyan believes the Armenian-Turkish normalization process should be regarded with "moderate optimism".

Asked whether he sees any progress, Torosyan told Armenpress that there is no need to have “sky-high” expectations, taking into account the experience of the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, which has been going on for decades, but in fact has not succeeded.

“The recent high-level statements made by Turkey show that Turkey is directly connecting the Armenian-Turkish relations with the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Yes, they say without preconditions and so on, but I think that the word precondition has entered our political agenda or discourse very artificially, that word is not so appropriate. But Turkey and Azerbaijan, being two organically connected countries, push forward their agenda jointly. Now, if Azerbaijan manages to ask, force Turkey to consider its interests, it turns out that these two processes [Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azerbaijani] will develop together or they won't”, Torosyan said.

According to the MP, this is evidenced by the fact that when agreements are reached between Armenia and Turkey (for example, the sides agreed to ensure opportunity of crossing the border for the citizens of third countries visiting Armenia and Turkey in the shortest timeframe), they either happen slowly or do not happen at all. Torosyan believes that even the agreements are pending until the process imagined by Turkey in the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations takes place.

Armenia and Turkey last December named special envoys to discuss the normalization of ties. Four rounds of talks followed on January 14, February 24, May 3 and July 1. During their last meeting, they also agreed on commencing direct air cargo trade between Armenia and Turkey at the earliest possible date and decided to initiate the necessary process to that effect.