Karen Ghazaryan
“Radiolur”
The Turkish-Azerbaijani factor has strengthened as a result of the policy the Georgian authorities have been conducting over the past years, President of the Javakhk Compatriotic Union, MP Shirak Torosyan told a press conference today. According to him, these steps do not stem from Georgia’s interests in the long-term perspective.
Expert of Turkish studies Hakob Chaktyan said, in turn, that Georgia has always been flattering the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem to the prejudice of Armenia.
Both speakers are confident that the strengthening of the Turkish-Azerbaijani factor in Georgia has a certain limit, which the authorities will not cross, and this is clear to both the new authorities of Georgia and the superpowers, which have interests in the region.
Shirak Torosyan does not insist that the Georgian-Azerbaijani relations are on a very high level. According to him, there are many factors hindering the development of those relations. Hakob Chakryan noted, in turn, that the three countries do not agree on all issues.
President of the Javakhk Compatriotic Union says global political and economic interests make the Georgian and Azerbaijani authorities ignore all kind of controversies and give preference to regional and geopolitical factors.
This policy produced practical results, including the construction of the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline and other projects that would cost cheaper, if constructed through the territory of Armenia.
The same applies to Georgian-Turkish relations. As a result of Georgia’s policy, the Turkish factor strengthened in the country. According to MP Shirak Torosyan, this policy of Saakashvili’s regime derives from the current situation and contradicts Georgia’s interests in the long run. He noted that throughout the election campaign the “Georgian Dream” opposition bloc was promising the people to weaken the Turkish factor in the country. The current policy will show to what extent this will be realized.
