If Armenia not makes concessions, rapprochement with Turkey will be limited: Russian political expert

Day.Az: Recent Russian media articles and statements by some political scientists create an impression that Russia supports reopening of Armenia's borders with Turkey by all means. What can be the reason?

Alexander Karavayev: I would say that besides narrow-minded view on this matter, there is also more professional, expert opinion in our major media. From narrow-minded viewpoint,  it is considered as an act of goodwill. All in fact understand that the closure is bad, this is a strong blow to trade and economic development. All this is understandable without reference to details of the South-Caucasian relations. From the expert viewpoint, there are some pro-Armenian views in Russia, and it is clear that the rapprochement with Turkey is seen as a plus for the development of Armenia, as a kind of way out of the Armenian economy to external markets.

At the same time, I would not say that all here is just so happy about opening of borders. There is some concern among experts who represent the views of Russia's military lobby. Due to concerns Armenia began gradually to move toward the West, and Turkey is without doubt, is the country representing the interests of the Western world, and eventually that of the United States. Some Russia experts fear that Armenia will gradually come out of a military-strategic influence of Russia. All this can end up with what happened in Georgia. But in Armenia no one knows how the situation could turn around in ten years.

Q: Will opening of borders alienate Armenia from Russia?

A: If not take into account the public and expert opinion, I personally do not think that at this stage opening of borders would alienate Armenia from Russia. Roughly speaking, we are only at the beginning of the way and who knows what it will end with. The main problem that stands between Armenia and Turkey is how Armenia will behave regarding the Karabakh conflict. I mean if Armenia does not make concessions and does not show its goodwill, the rapprochement with Turkey will be very limited, if not suspended. That is, the full opening of the border may not take place.

Q: There is an opinion that the Armenian "genocide" forces Armenians to live in the past, hindering the development of economic and diplomatic relations ...

A: Well, I think that any encumbrance of the past, if there is a limited development opportunities in the future, it definitely should be stopped. It is necessary to rebuild your own mentality in such a way that the past does not hinder further development. It should not give prominence to foreign claims. The history had such examples - Russia has been repeatedly accused of not expressing remorse for the crimes committed under the Stalin regime. The Ukrainian Holodomor is also a relic of a time.

Similar parallels could be drawn with regard to Turkish policy at the turn of 1915-1916 years. There were certainly difficult times, a civil war, but to say that Turkey is to blame for the destruction of an entire people, it now can only serve as an obstacle in relations between Armenia and Turkey. However, the main motive of Armenian policy seeks to use it.

/Day.Az/