TURKISH PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO UNITED STATES CAN NOT SETTLE KURD WORKER PARTY PROBLEM – TURKISH EXPERT
TREND Information
Jan 10 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 9 January / Trend corr. R.Hafizoglu / The official
visit of Abdulla Gul, the Turkish President, to the United States
is very significant for the Ankara and is a new stage in the
intergovernmental relations," Arif Keskin, a Turkish political
scientist, said on his telephonic interview to Trend. Mr.Gul has
been on an official visit to the United States, since 6 Jan. Mr.Gul
discussed the development of the bilateral relations with the American
President J.W.Bush, on 8 January.
"Turkey is an ally of America. However, a political stagnation has
been observed between the both countries recently. I am confidence
that the Turkish President’s visit will strengthen the bilateral
relations. The reliability is one of the key factors in expansion of
the bilateral relations," Keskin said.
According to Keslin, the interests of the United States and Turkey
do not coincide on the issues like Iraq, Middle East and Karabakh
policy. "The United States knows that Turkey has a huge power in the
region. The political changes are expected to take place in the region,
in the near future".
The expert believes that Mr.Gul’s visit to the United States cannot
settle the problems like the Kurd Worker Party terrorist functioning,
the so-called Armenian genocide and Karabakh issue. "Even Turkey
manages partially to influence the United States, on the policy
concerning the issues of the so-called Armenian genocide. Turkey cannot
completely change the American policy in the region," Keskin said.
As the best result, Turkey may weak the popularization of Armenian
lobby directed against Turkey and Azerbaijan in the United States.
"By the so-called Armenian genocide claim, the United States wants
to open the Turkish-Armenian border. In respond, Turkey demanded the
liberation of the Azerbaijani occupied territories," the political
scientist said.
According to the political scientist, the United States policy on
the Karabakh problem, Armenia and Azerbaijan, differ from the policy
towards Turkey.