Turkey has blocked normalisation

Director of the Caucasus Project of the International Crisis Group (ICG) Sabina Freizer has stated that the Turkish PM has brought the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia to a dead end by making his recent statement in Baku. Freizer suggests that in the beginning it appeared that practical normalization could begin by the Autumn of this year but it now looks as if this process could be delayed for several years.

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on May 13 in Baku that unless Armenia withdraws its occupation forces from Azeri lands the border will remain closed. In response the Armenian leadership said that Turkey should not interfere in the Karabakh issue.