Expert: Armenian-Turkish relations remain hostile
No breakthrough has been made in Armenian-Turkish relations this year, Varuzhan Geghamyan, an expert on the Middle East and the South Caucasus, claims, stating relations between the two countries essentially remain hostile.
In an interview to Panorama.am on Thursday, he dismissed the “normalization process” between Armenia and Turkey amid new concessions imposed on Armenia.
"These concessions align with the strategic interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region,” the expert stated.
He recalled Armenia’s move to send humanitarian aid to Turkey following the powerful earthquake in early February while Turkey and Azerbaijan blatantly continued Artsakh’s blockade.
“Essentially, this step by Armenia produced no results. Moreover, Turkey realized that it could continue pressure without any significant resistance from Armenia,” Geghamyan noted, rejecting the claims that the possible reopening of the Armenia-Turkey border would contribute to Armenia’s economic development.
The expert believes Turkey will likely step up pressure on Armenia in 2024 in an effort to extort new concessions from the country.