Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug. 20 / Trend R.Hafizoglu /
Johns Hopkins University Institute of Central Asia and Caucasus Director and Swedish Institute of Security Policy and Development Founder Svante Cornell believes Ankara is hardly to open its border with Armenia for NATO exercises to be held in September.
"Turkey will not open its borders with Armenia for NATO exercises. It is not persuasive," Cornell told Trend over the telephone.
Earlier, it was reported that Turkey does not exclude the possibility of a partial and temporary opening of the Turkish-Armenian border Sept.11- 17, 2010 as part of NATO military exercises planned in Armenia. But Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu denied this information
Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been broken due to Armenia's claims of an alleged genocide, and its occupation of Azerbaijani lands. The border between them has been broken since 1993.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.
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