YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. No positive shift took place in the Armenia-Turkey relations last year: the border remains closed, no diplomatic relations were established. Turkologist Ruben Safrastian, the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, gave such an estimation at the January 21 press conference. According to him, improval of the Armenian-Turkish relations mainly depends on how much Turkish diplomacy is ready to renounce the policy of exerting pressure upon Armenia. Touching upon U.S. President Barack Obama's preelection promise on recognition of the Armenian Genocide, R. Safrastian predicted that he will hardly use the word "genocide" in his April 24 address. However, as the Turkologist added, there is much hope that U.S. Congress will adopt Resolution N 106 on recognition of the Armenian Genocide. As to Turkey's willingness to raise its own role in the South Caucasian region, according to R. Safrastian's observation, that country's efforts exerted in this direction are vain. According to him, for instance, Turkey's proposal to create a Security and Cooperation Platform has not been fulfilled so far and will not be fulfilled in the near future.

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