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SAM representative: â€œDespite the Turkish government has stopped the normalization process of the relations with Armenia, NGOs are continuing to relateâ€

21 September 2012 12:20 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Anakhanum Hidayatova â€“ APA. A briefing with the participation of ambassadors and media representatives has been held in the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SAM). APA reports that SAM director Farhad Mammadov made a speech on theme of â€œThe pre-election situation in Armeniaâ€.

Vusal Gasimli, the acting director of Economic Analysis and Global Affairs Department of SAM made a speech on the Development Conception project â€œAzerbaijan-2020: view to the futureâ€ and said that the formation of an efficient and competitive, knowledge-based and export oriented, as well as strong and sustainable economy responding to the political and strategic interests of the country and ensuring the highest level of prosperity will be improved in Azerbaijan.

Mesiagha Mohammedi, the senior research fellow of the Foreign Policy Analysis Department of SAM spoke about the â€œ2013 presidential election in Iranâ€ and recalled that according to the Constitution of the country, the same person is not allowed to be a president for more than two times: â€œThe substitutive of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has already elected for two times, is theme of interest and discussion in both Iran and international arena.â€

Javid Valieyv, the leading research fellow of the Foreign Policy Analysis Department of SAM made a speech on theme of â€œOpening of Turkish-Armenian bordersâ€: Turkish side calls the process of â€œOpening of Turkish-Armenian borders and the establishment of diplomatic relationsâ€ as â€œNormalization of Armenian policy of the countryâ€. The normalization process is being carried out in two directions: The normalization with Armenians living in Turkey and with Armenia. The normalization process with inside Armenians is being considered as a part of Turkish democratization. The reasons of the normalization process with Armenia are following: First, the Turkish diplomacy thinks that closing the borders with Armenia narrows the sphere of influence of Turkey in the Southern Caucasus and this sphere will widen by opening the borders. Second, Turkey thinks that closing the borders justifies Armenia on 1915 eventsâ€.

Javid Valiyev said that at present the normalization of relations with Armenia has stopped in Turkey at the state level, but it is continuing by NGOs. The US, groups in Turkey under patronage of the US, some liberal forces, businessmen living in cross-border regions of Turkey with Armenia, Armenians with Turkish origin and Armenia support the normalization process.