December 4, 2009 - 18:38 AMT
Ankra, Yerevan in diplomatic deadlock?
The timid thaw between Armenia and Turkey may turn into a diplomatic deadlock. Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu linked ratification of RA-Turkish Protocols with Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Russian "Izvestia" says in an article titled "Turkey Refuses to Reconcile with Armenia".

"Agreements on normalizing ties aroused Baku's indignation. Turkish authorities insisted that opening of Armenian-Turkish border be preceded by 'resolution of Karabakh conflict'. Otherwise Turkey 'may lose' friendly Azerbaijan," says the Russian periodical. According to Natalia Ulchenko, Director of Russian NAS Oriental Studies Institute, Ankara's refusal to view the issue as such precondition may imply worsening of bilateral ties. "And that happens in a situation when Genocide recognition issue remains on the agenda. Another curious moment is that Turkey mostly links its future with a country which is an energy transit. Armenian-Turkish deal immediately gave way to Baku's demarche. But this was the time when Azerbaijan and Russia entered into a gas supply agreement. Baku's reorientation to Moscow as energy resource transit is extremely undesirable for Turkey," Russian expert stressed.