Zurab Todua: Armenia will never agree to cede Karabakh in exchange for opening border with Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is not ready to stop its policy of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, a Russian expert said.



"I think this issue will remain extremely painful for Armenia and Armenians for years to come. This problem occupies an important place in the system of political views of the Armenian society. It is impossible to change it immediately. It might be resolved only during the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations," political scientist Zurab Todua said.



"As for Nagorno Karabakh, it is quite obvious that opening of borders and return of territories are not the same things. It is odd that such wording occurs. Does anyone in Azerbaijan really think that in exchange for opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, Armenia will agree to return Nagorno Karabakh? Only softening of Yerevan's positions at the talks is possible, I suppose."



"The problem of Nagorno Karabakh concerns primarily the Azerbaijani government and society. It would be strange if Ankara was concerned with it even more than Baku. We should realize that the Nagorno Karabakh problem is neither task number one nor two or even three in Turkey's foreign policy. Turkey's main task is to be accepted to the European Union. It is necessary for the economic development of the country. EU's provisions are stiff. It demands changes in the Turkey's policy towards the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, normalization of relations with Armenia and initiation of a dialogue with Kurds. Turkey is in a very complicated condition. It supports separatists of Northern Cyprus and at the same time fights Kurdish separatism. It is a hard business. Only rich and strong countries can conduct a policy, based on mutually exclusive principles. Turkey is not rich or strong and it is impossible to demand from Turkey what is above its abilities," Todua said, Day.az reports.