Interests of great powers not focused on resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: German expert

Day.Az: How do you generally assess Armenian-Turkish relations at the moment?

Alexander Rahr: I think that now a breakthrough in Turkish-Armenian relations has been planned which have not yet occurred. There are too many complexities. Now there is the so-called "bargaining behind the scenes” by all sides, someone has to give something, while others have to get something. The bargaining here implies, in particular, laying of new pipes, global energy security of Europe and new enhanced role of Turkey. It is difficult to say anything here  except that,in my opinion, we are now at the beginning of a new chapter of geopolitical rearrangements.

Q: What can you say about the opening of borders between Turkey and Armenia? Will Turkish parliament ratify the Turkey-Armenia protocols?

A: I think that Turkey can not go in the opposite direction. Turkey wants to open borders with Armenia, and the important factor here is the European Union, which wants to gain access to the Caucasus through Turkey. I do not think that the Armenian-Turkish border will be easily opened. The process moves in this direction, though rather slowly. The fact is that the program of East Partnership implies a very close relationship with the three South Caucasus countries, so for Europe is very important that the entire region will be removed from the isolation in which it is caught up at the moment.

Q: What impact did the Armenia-Turkey dialogue have on resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

A: The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the form in which it exists now does not satisfy only Azerbaijan. Other countries are quite satisfied with the status quo. For Europe and the West the most important thing is that there was no violence, that there was no military action and excessive blood. I understand the Azerbaijan side - now the Karabakh issue will be removed from the agenda. I also think that Azerbaijan will be very hard in talking on the Karabakh issue with Turkey, as here, the interests of great powers in the face of the United States, European Union (if I may say so) are not focused on resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh question, but how to involve the entire region of South Caucasus to cooperation with the European Union.

/Day.Az/