The Caucasus stability and cooperation platform is Turkey's attempt to assert itself as a regional power, Konstantin Zatulin, State Duma member, director of the institute of CIS studies, told a news conference today.

"Turkey wants to give its western partners to understand that regional problems should be resolved by regional powers. Ankara did not conceal its negative attitude to U.S. navy presence in the Black Sea. Turkey doesn't want to be West's outpost, as it was during the cold war," he said, adding that any regional initiative without Iran is doomed to failure.