Armenia can not be given preference in opening of Armenia-Turkey border: American expert

Officials, experts of Kazakhstan, political analysts and scientists from the U.S., representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Kazakhstan participated in the conference.

Representative of the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies Yanush Bugay, expert of the Jamestown Foundation Vladimir Socor, Senior Associate of Carnegie Fund Dr. Martha Brill Olcott and others underlined that Kazakhstan may play an important role in the resolution of the conflicts in the Caucasus, energy and transit problems in the region.

In response to the “How should the resolution of the conflicts in the Caucasus and Karabakh problem be approached?” Martha Brill Olcott said: “Kazakhstan during its presidency in OSCE may be able to play a great role in resolution of frozen conflicts. But Azerbaijan and Armenia should also find diplomatic way for the resolution of the problem,” Olcott said.

Socor said that Kazakhstan can not achieve resolution of the Karabakh problem.

“America, Russia and OSCE have been dealing with the Karabakh problem for long years. It is difficult to reach solution of the problem in a period of Kazakhstan’s presidency in OSCE”.

The expert reminded about bilateral and multilateral negotiations between the U.S., Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia and said OSCE had its agenda.

“OSCE concludes that Armenia and Turkey should normalize relations at first which is based on the opening of borders between them. Turkey closed borders with Armenian in 1994 after the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by the Armenian armed forces. Now the talks are going on that Turkey to open its gates. In return, Armenia must withdraw its forces from five occupied regions around Nagorno Karabakh, then two more regions and Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region as well. About one million Azerbaijanis were expelled from those territories and suffered from the ethnic cleansing against them. These are difficult tasks ahead. Turkey can open the borders after liberation of five regions," Socor said.

"The main condition is that Turkey will open borders at the same time with the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the five occupied regions. A priority can not be given to Armenia during the solution of these problems. It is wrong to think that we open the doors and then the lands are returned. It will be a wrong step”.

/APA/