Wed 25 November 2009 | 09:37 GMT Text size:

Arif Keskin

"Negotiations on Karabakh will be effective if pressure is imposed on Armenia.

In this sense, yesterday’s meeting of President Ilham Aliyev with Russian leader Dmitri Medveyev and the upcoming meeting of Turkish Premier Erdogan and US President Barack Obama will be important", said Arif Keskin, analyst of the Turkish Center of International Ties and Strategic Analysis and professor of the 21st century University.

According to the political scientist, Turkey should use all opportunities to attain progress in the Karabakh issue at the upcoming meeting between Erdogan and Obama.

"Erdogan should explain to Obama that stability in the Caucasus is impossible without progress in the Karabakh issue. If Erdogan is able to bind the processes of border opening with Armenia, return of a part of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, I think it will be an appropriate variant. Everyone including Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey would benefit. But time will show whether Armenians are ready to such developments. Azerbaijan is important for Turkey and I think Ankara will not risk its relations with Baku and by results of the Washington  meetings we will witness certain progress. If Moscow, Washington and Brussels impose pressure on Armenia in this issue, by the beginning of 2010 we will witness the opening of borders and withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan", he said.

"Ilham Aliyev’s statement before the Munich meeting must make western leaders think over their further policy in the region. If West and Russia really want peace and do not want instability in the region, they should persuade Armenia that continued occupation of Azerbaijani lands will cause harm to it", Keskin said.

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