Armenia-Turkey rapprochement has always been perceived as the beginning of a longer process. No one expected it to be fast and simple, director of Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) Richard Giragosian stated.

However, he noted, significant progress was observed in Armenia-Turkey relations over the last year. “This year, for the first time in Istanbul history, Turkish intellectual elite will commemorate Armenian Genocide victims. This fact means that intellectual borders have been opened, altering Turkish people's views on their own history.”

As the expert stated, there's no need to commend Turkey for agreeing to rapprochement, normalization of ties with a neighbor being the duty of any civilized country.

“The rapprochement impaired Turkey –Azerbaijan relations, rendering One nation – Two states motto inviable. Both US and Russia announced Armenia-Turkey relations to be unrelated to Karabakh issue. Ankara has chosen its course, the one hard to deviate from,” Armenian expert noted, adding that Turkey is still uncertain as to its Armenia-related plans.

“Protocols failure to stipulate for any sanctions in case of agreement violation is an obvious drawback. There's nothing to prevent Turkey from re-closing the border even after it has been opened,” Giragosian said.

Also, he didn't preclude Azerbaijan's resumption of hostilities to hamper Armenia-Turkey reconciliation.