“This actually is not Russia’s desire to have a new player joining the co-chairs but it pursues the goal to show the Russian-Turkish relations more friendly,” – said political analyst Sergey Minasyan in an interview with Aravot.am, commenting on Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s statement. Note that Sergey Lavrov had stated that Turkey may have a positive role in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. “Because it is clear that it is not like Russia decided that Turkey should have a positive role in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and Turkey joined in immediately without taking the desire of the US and France into account.
It is yet quite a question whether France and the United States would like to see Turkey in the negotiation process. If Turkey even though wished by Russia joins the negotiation process, Iran would also want to be engaged in the process because it also has its interests in the events taking place in the Caucasus. Lavrov’s statement should be viewed as a demonstrative move, look, the Russian-Turkish relations have been improved so much that Russia is not against and thinks that Turkey may play a positive role in the negotiation process,” – said the political analyst.
Mr. Badalyan seriously doubts that Turkey can ever be involved in the negotiation process. “I highly doubt that the United States and France would agree to the involvement of Turkey, even if Armenia agrees under the pressure of Russia.” Referring to Lavrov’s opinion that the progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement will become a key moment for the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, the political analyst continued, “The Armenian-Turkish protocols failed from both sides, it is not explained that if Clinton wins in the US, and she is the US Secretary of State, and the Armenian-Turkish protocols were signed under her tenure, then, most likely and very likely, the US will try to revive these protocols and take the improvement task of the Armenia-Turkey relations under their control.
It is not definite that Turkey would agree, at the same time, it will not be beneficial to Russia because the latter would like to hold the process of establishing friendly relations between Armenia and Turkey in its hands.”
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Arpine SIMONYAN
