YEREVAN. – Armenia recorded a decrease in the level of mutual trust in its relations with Turkey. 

Vladimir Karapetyan, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC), noted the aforesaid at a press conference on Thursday.  

As per Karapetyan, the Armenian officials are avoiding contacts and talks with the Turkish officials because they do not want to play into the hands of the Turkish lie.

“From this perspective, [Armenian FM] Edward Nalbandian’s accordance to meet with [Turkish FM] Ahmet Davutoglu in [Armenia’s capital city] Yerevan—when no change has occurred on Turkey’s part in relations with Armenia, and it continues the inimical policy—is incomprehensible for me,” the ANC official noted.        

The opposition member stressed that we also need to pay attention to the fact that, following Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s 2008-2009 initiative to normalize relations with Turkey, the Armenian businessmen have increased their imports from Turkey.

“We have imported $200 million worth [of goods] from Turkey and exported a mere $1.5 million [worth of] goods; that is, Turkey’s economy has benefited, and solely we [i.e., Armenia] have suffered from this initiative,” Vladimir Karapetyan concluded.