U.S. - Turkish relations are mutually exclusive, former ambassador of Armenia to Canada and head of Modus Vivendi center said.

“Turkey’s becoming more pretentious and independent poses a serious threat to the ties between the two countries,” Ara Papian said, stressing the need for the U.S. to regain influence over Ankara.

“The Armenian Cause is linked to the Kurdish issue. Any Kurdish attempt to establish statehood will represent a claim against Turkish territory,” he told a news conference, noting Treaty of Sèvres as the only document outlining Kurdistan bordering Armenia in the north.

Dwelling on Armenian-American relations, the expert deemed the U.S. intention to establish a unified South Caucasus to promote own interests as unrealistic, given the strained relations between the countries.