It is impossible that Serzh Sargsyan, who is originally from Karabakh, may agree to give some of the “occupied” lands against the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. This opinion was expressed by a senior expert of the Carnegie research center Thomas De Waal. He says the Turks have been mistaken in connection with this issue. “They have underestimated the high meaning and importance that Karabakh has for Armenians; they were mistaken to think that Armenia may agree to give some of the “occupied” territories in exchange of opening the border with Turkey.” According to De Waal, the Azeris think that in case of opening the borders Armenia will be less keen to compromise. On the other hand, he believes that from the long-term perspective Azerbaijan would benefit from the opening of the border. The logic is the following: Armenia, having open borders to the West, will gradually change its stereotypical thinking and will adapt to the idea of giving the lands in order not to appear in an international isolation. “If the border was opened, from the long term prospective Azerbaijan’s loss would turn to a victory,” writes De Waal by regretting for the fact that no efforts have been made to make Azerbaijan understand this. “Unlike his Armenian and Turkish colleagues, Aliyev was not invited to Washington to take part in the energy summit, as a result of which Azerbaijan got the impression that the parties are acting behind their backs.”
