ArmInfo. Turkey is negotiating the reopening or border with Armenia, but Azerbaijan's interests must be considered, Turkish Minister of Trade Mehmet Mus has stated.
After the issues are settled, the necessary infrastructure needs to be prepared. The work can be completed soon. Kars is one of Turkey's border regions, and Turkey's foreign office is conducting negotiations, he said.
Commenting on the Turkish minister's statement, Armenia's ex-premier Khosrov Harutyunyan told ArmInfo that he does not share Armenia's optimism over the settlement of the bilateral relations. Ankara's decision should be perceived as a political one, which has nothing in common with the bilateral economic ties. "Given the claims by Turkey and Azerbaijan, no grounds are available for optimism over any essential changes in the bilateral trade and economic relations. Turkey's intentions should be viewed as a gesture aimed at normalizing the Armenian-Turkish relations," Mr Harutyunyan said. And Turkey is making this gesture now that Azerbaijani is making clear claims to Armenia's sovereign territories.
Baku is making attempts to put a concept of western Azerbaijan in the international agenda, with Ankara's consent.
"We should not deceive ourselves. A few Armenian businessmen having their interests in Turkey have nothing to do with possible bilateral institutional relations. I personally view a removal of the ban as nothing but a trap. The most important condition for normalizing the bilateral relations is establishing diplomatic relations, which could be followed by negotiations in different formats to discuss issues of mutual interest.
"But Turkey is linking each of its steps with Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, which has repeatedly been stated in public," Mr Harutyunyan said.
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