Russian expert about Armenia-Turkey dialogue: Border regime will be quite tough

Day.Az: It was reported that Armenia and Turkey will sign an agreement to resume diplomatic relations on Oct. 10-11. There is an opinion that even after the signing of the protocols, the borders between the two countries will not reopen. What do you think about this?

Sergey Mikheyev: I think the border regime, in any case, will be quite enough. The degree of mutual distrust remains high. Now it all deals with a symbolic opening of the border. I do not think that completely free travel regime for citizens and cargo will be provided from the very beginning. However, time will show whether the situation may gradually change or not.

Q: How do you assess Azerbaijan’s chances of accession to the UN Security Council non-permanent membership in 2012-2013. How this might change attitude of world community to Azerbaijan?

A: Attitude to such a step from the permanent representatives of the Security Council will be very important for Azerbaijan. If majority of them support Azerbaijan’s candidacy, the chances will be quite high. Of course, membership in the UN Security Council raises international status and provides additional opportunities to influence international affairs.

Q: Do you think Russia and the U.S. will be able to reach agreement on sanctions against Iran's nuclear program? Western analysts are skeptical of mutual understanding of the aforementioned countries on this issue ...

A: This is a very complicated process. U.S. wants Russia's position on Iran to fully coincide with that of the U.S.. Iran wants Moscow to take the side of Teheran. But in reality, neither one nor the other is possible and I think is not good for Russia. Russia has its interests which oppose Iran’s possession of nuclear weapons and American military intervention in Iran. The .S. wants Russia to pressure Iran, as if in exchange for Washington's refusal of the missile deployment in Poland and the Czech Republic. Moscow is glad about this refusal.

But, on the other hand, we clearly understand that the United States declined from what was not real. Missile defense was questionable in all respects from the very beginning, but in the end it never was launched. That is why Russia does not believe that it ows something to Americans. It is enough that we allowed them to transit goods to Afghanistan.

Q: Barack Obama has promised to accelerate work of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh issue. What steps Washington may  take with regard to the Karabakh problem?

A: I can not even figure out how Obama could really move the process of Karabakh settlement. He, of course, an interesting and capable man, but not God definitely. I am never tired of repeating that the key to solving this problem rests primarily with Baku and Yerevan. All the others can act only as intermediaries. Baku and Yerevan has very little real progress towards resolving the problem, since, still hold totally opposite opinions over the territory.

/Day.Az/