Turkey has no potential to become regional leader despite its leadership’s desire – Ruben Safrastyan

Ruben Safrastyan, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Armenian National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), does not see any further developments in Azerbaijan-Turkey relations.

In an interview with Tert.am, speaking of the Azerbaijani-Turkish relations, particularly of the domestic and foreign political tensions in Turkey, as well as of Azerbaijan’s actions on the Nagorno-Karabakh-Azerbaijani border, the expert said the two nations actually continue cooperating in certain areas.

“We should not just forget that the two states have an agreement, which reads that, if necessary, Turkey can support Azerbaijan in all possible areas,” Mr Safrastyan said.

Both Russia and Iran have intensified their policies toward Azerbaijan. However, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy has not displayed any fundamental changes.

“Azerbaijan continues its regional and international policy, which is mainly aimed at creating optimal conditions for the ruling elite – receiving profits from the sale of oil and gas,” Mr Safrastyan said.

Elaborating on domestic political developments in Turkey, the expert said:

“The justice and development party’s activities have from the beginning been chiefly directed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.”

The Turkish president’s steps are often unpredictable. Turkey’s current situation is largely the result of Erdoğan’s activities.

“This is a new phenomenon in Turkey. On the one hand, a political crisis is unfolding inside the country, which resulted in snap elections being fixed because formation of a coalition failed. On the other hand, in terms of foreign policy, Turkey is getting even deeper in regional problems,” Mr Safrastyan said.

The Turkish president is pursuing an obviously adventurist domestic and foreign policy, which is only to Turkey’s detriment.

In their foreign policy, Recep Erdoğan and his team aim at making Turkey the region’s leading political force. However, Turkey has not the sufficient resources.

Elaborating on Turkish-Kurdish clashes in the territory of western Armenia in the context of possible impact on Armenians, Mr Safrastyan said:

“Whatever state system is in Turkey, when the domestic political situation grows tense, Armenians are the first to be affected. The tenser the situation in Turkey is and the stronger strikes on the Kurdish movement the Turkish armed forces deliver the greater threat is to the Armenian community in Istanbul as well as to the converted Armenians in western Armenia.”