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“As in previous years, Ankara did its best in 2014 to advance its ties with three regional countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia—,” reported Today’s Zaman daily of Turkey.

As per the daily, “Despite the balanced ties established by Turkey, which is trying to present itself as a role model with Western-NATO links in the backyard of Russia and Iran, Ankara’s successful foreign affair policies rest on its relations with regional partner Azerbaijan, the region’s economic powerhouse with vast energy resources that are important for turning Turkey into an energy hub and transit corridor.”

According to Today’s Zaman, to this end Ankara did not stop, but rather extended, its efforts to stir the static Turkish-Armenian ties in the last days of 2013 when the then-foreign minister, current Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu visited the capital city of Yerevan to attend the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) on December 12, 2013. “[But] the visit did not yield favorable results as neither side appeared prepared to make concessions,” the daily noted. 

The Turkish daily also expressed a view that The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict once again became a mark of Turkey’s failed aspirations to emerge as a peacemaker in the region. “The sealed gates between Turkey and Armenia have long been considered a significant element, particularly by leaving Armenia isolated in the region, in reaching a long-awaited resolution of the conflict that would also support ally Azerbaijan. However, so far, no positive results have been achieved and the status quo remains,” Today’s Zaman noted.  

Today’s Zaman also quoted Sedat Laçiner, a prominent academic and scholar of Turkey's foreign affairs, including Turkish-Armenian ties, who underlined Azerbaijan’s role in preventing further progress as regards the 2009 protocols, saying, “Now the alliance with Azerbaijan has taken ties with Armenia hostage.”

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