Turkey will not gain anything that would serve its strategic interests from opening borders with Armenia: MP

According to him, the issue of opening borders has recently been seriously discussed in the Turkish and Armenian press.

"Certainly, if we remember the fact that two days ago Mr.Erdogan in his speech on Turkish television touched on this issue noting that at the meeting with US president the sides will discuss ties in the South Caucasus including Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish relations and the Turkish Premier especially noted that the soonest resolution of the Karabakh issue will also have a positive impact on Armenian-Turkish relations. This means that the sooner Armenia displays interest in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and returns the occupied lands to Azerbaijan, the better it will be for the Armenian-Turkish relations which would lead to opening borders and restoration of communications", said Guliyev.

However, he noted that Turkey's firmness in this issue will become clear by results of Obama's visit to this country.

"We do hope that Turkey will not abandon fraternal Azerbaijan in this hard period. If the borders open, this will be a great moral damage forAzerbaijan that will in turn affect the image of Turkey among Azerbaijanis and this is undesirable for Ankara and the whole Turkic world. Therefore, I do not think that the Turkish leadership will take a negative position on this issue.

Asked about Turkey's striving for EU and its possible opening of borders with Armenia for the purpose of joining EU at the same time trying to attain a fair resolution of the Karabakh conflict, the deputy said:

I do not think that opening of borders will promote Ankara's EU accession. I do not believe that even if Turkey will open borders with Armenia in a hope that Yerevan will disavow its claims for recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide", Armenia will not allow the latter. As is known, Armenia does not have an independent policy. It is regulated by Russia and Armenian lobby abroad. If these two campuses do not come to a common denominator, any Sargsyan's decision will not be of special importance. Therefore, if Turkey considers that opening of borders will eliminate the issue of recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide" and at the same time, assist while accessing EU, this is an erroneous position, concluded the parliamentarian.

/Day.Az/