Former prime minister of Armenia, economist Hrant Bagratyan does not believe that the improvement of relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan will bring much economic benefit to Armenia.

"Even today, we have an annual trade with Turkey of 300-500 million dollars, the transport costs will decrease a little, which will increase this trade by 3-4 percent; that is, 500 million dollars will become 550 million dollars," Bagratyan told reporters Monday.

"I don't have high expectations in terms of Azerbaijan. It is not the case that we [i.e., Armenia] will start receiving Azerbaijani [natural] gas. You see, Georgia makes use of this opportunity very little. Then Azerbaijani [natural] gas is sold to Europe until 2035. I don't expect economic relations with Azerbaijan at all because [the latter’s] ambitions for Armenian lands, conquests will not end as long as there is weak authorities in Armenia," said the ex-PM.

Bagratyan stated that there is an Azerbaijani-Turkish demand which has not yet been embodied in a written document, but which the Armenian authorities are fulfilling already.

"It is that they are carrying out depriving of army toward Armenia. There is such a thing because those people who can have a serious say in the [Armenian] army are being targeted one after the other, they are removed from the ranks," he said.