The Armenia-Turkey rapprochement process is going on, but in an intensive care unit, Sergey Minasyan, Deputy Director, Institute of Caucasus told reporters on October 2. “I do not think it will happen within the Zurich-2 format. In any case, it will not happen before the 2011 parliamentary elections in Turkey,” he said.

NEWS.am reminds readers that Chairman of the New Times Party Arm Karapetyan stated on Oct 1 that a Zurich-2 program is being drafted.

On the other hand, the latest developments related to Surb Khach church in Turkey suggest Turkey will try to preserve the present format “at the minimum level.”

“However, I can Turkey would benefit more if the cross had been installed on the dome of the church on the day of the liturgy,” Minasyan said.

As regards the forthcoming OSCE Minsk Group fact-finding mission in Nagorno-Karabakh and its work for the following months, Minasyan pointed out that both the OSCE mission and activities are aimed at ensuring further negotiations and strengthening the status quo.

“The present format amid the neighboring state’s bellicose statements is actually an attempt to keep Azerbaijan in the negotiation process. I think Aliev has come to realize Nagorno-Karabakh’s status quo is impossible to change,” the expert said. A self-respecting president would have declared war long ago after making so many statements.