US is leaving the region: Artak Shakaryan

The possible extension of the agreement that allows the deployment of the Russian troops in Armenia, as well as the recently signed Strategic Partnership Agreement between Azerbaijan and Turkey are both attesting to the fact that the United States is leaving this region, turkologist Artak Shakaryan told a press conference today.

"The US is withdrawing its troops from Iraq due to which Turkey has become more active in the Middle East because an empty space is being created [there]," said Mr Shakaryan.

At the same time he mentioned that in US the proponents and the opponents of the Obama administration are very much dissatisfied with Obama's foreign policy. Next year the US president will start preparing for the next presidential elections and as a result he will try to pull out the country from the region.

"A situation is unfolding when the EU is busy with economic crisis and can hardly take up these issues, the Minsk Group isn't that active, the United States will not deal with the region, so the matter is up to Russia and Turkey who are trying to rearrange their powers," explained Mr Shakaryan.

According to him Iran's factor should also be taken into account given Tehran will with Russia's help launch the Busher Nuclear Power Plant in a month.