“Rapid progress should not be expected in the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations in the first half of this year,” International Crisis Group Europe Program Director Sabine Freizer said.

“The lack of progress will be due to the fact parliamentary elections are scheduled for June in Turkey and the government is unwilling to confront nationalist parties on the Armenian question at this time,” Freizer said, Trend News reports.

Freizer stressed that contacts between the Turkish and Armenian civil societies, businesses, journalists and youth are continuing, though, and in many cases increasing.

“While Turkey continues to close its border with Armenia in solidarity with Azerbaijan, ties between average Turks and Armenians should not be cut. Better relations between Armenians and Turks can have a positive effect on the way to support peace and stability in the region,” she said.

As NEWS.am reported previously, at the Jan.14 press conference Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian emphasized the Armenian side does not intend to change its stance on Armenia-Turkey reconciliation process as there is no need for it.

“Turkey should change its policy and establish relations with Armenia without any preconditions. The international community is waiting for such a step from Turkey,” Nalbandyan noted.

October 10, 2009, in Zurich, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Turkey signed the “Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations” and “Protocol for the development of bilateral relations”, which needed to be ratified by the parliaments of the two countries. However, this did not happen.

However, on December 7, 2009, Turkey linked the Armenian-Turkish process to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. During a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara would not ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols without resolution of the Karabakh conflict. On April 22, 2010, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree suspending the ratification process.