Turkey & Armenia

Armenian and Turkish officials continue their talks in an effort to settle old disputes and reopen the borders between the countries.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister has taken a leading role in communicating with Armenia. His efforts are not only a bid to join the EU, but also to improve relations with Turkey's neighbors: Bulgaria, Syria, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, and, of course, Armenia. Turkey's pro-US stance has been at the expense of the relations with these countries, and Erdogan seeks to make Turkey's national interests paramount.

Previously, Armenia has demanded that Turkey openly and publicly acknowledge the Armenian massacre as genocide. In Turkey, however, it is actually a crime to label the massacre as genocide. Erdogan has agreed to a joint commission with Armenia to study the issue, an impressive compromise for both sides.

According to Judy Dempsey (New York Times), the US and the EU could lose their influence in the region, while Russia and Turkey regain their historical influence. However, the talks between countries is hardly being met with open arms.


(Interesting side note, the talks between Armenia and Turkey began after the Armenian president visited during a World Cup qualifying match between the Armenian and Turkish soccer teams.)