“One can expect anything from Armenia, but I am inclined to believe that Serzh Sarkissian will not deviate from commitments made to Turkey, Washington and the EU,” expert at Azerbaijan’s Lider TV Tofiq Abbasov said commenting on media reports claiming that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan may delay signing of protocols amid latest events.
“Today Yerevan very much needs breakthrough to revive the country, which is in a very difficult situation because of economic downturn. It will help to get out of stagnation,” he said.
“The entire illusory spectacle by Armenian diaspora that we all watched on TV still bears the function of PR,” the expert said.
“The Armenian diaspora provides financial assistance to Armenia, but this assistance is hardly crosses the line of $50 million a year. This is not such a large sum in light of current realities to say that Sargsyan risks of losing an asset,” he added.
“I believe that President Sargsyan and his team need a hefty catch. In this sense, the opening of borders with Turkey can become a good prospect for whole Armenia, because they will receive a new communication, a very attractive motivation for the development of market relations,” Abbasov said.
“Market relations are at an early primitive stage in Armenia while Turkey already has developed and full-fledged market relations with many states. They have established good relations with European countries. Turkish territory provides direct access to European markets. In this sense, Sargsyan plans to procure more favorable points to revive the economy and demonstrate its diplomatic maneuverability,” Abbasov said.
“I believe that Armenia will not deviate from the intended path and protocols on normalization of relations with Turkey and opening of borders between countries will be signed before the scheduled time. I also believe Serzh Sargsyan will go to the soccer match between Turkey and Armenia. Thus, countries can agree on fundamental issues, and along with it to earn dividends before Washington, which is the spiritual mentor of their reconciliation, but also before the European Union. By the way, after this the U.S. and EU will reward Ankara and Yerevan with a new aid. The normalization of relations between the countries will give additional benefits to Sargsyan in the negotiation process on Karabakh,” the expert said.
http://www.today.az/news/politics/56351.html