December 11, 2006 - 18:16 AMT
Etyen Mahcupyan: Official Line to Normalize Armenia-Turkey Relations Faced Deadlock
Cooperation between non-governmental organizations and opposition forces will have a positive impact on the development of the Armenia-Turkey bilateral relations, said Etyen Mahcupyan, head of TESEV Democratization program and columnist at Zaman newspaper. In his words, development of democracy in Armenia and Turkey may become a stimulus for the development of bilateral relations.

He also underscored that the official line to normalize the Armenian-Turkey relations has reached a deadlock and development of relations between non-governmental organizations appears as an alternative. Formation of a civic society is essential for the development of Armenia and Turkey, he considers.