April 23, 2009 - 19:50 AMT
Yerevan and Ankara have not yet agreed on a joint route map
The available information on Armenian-Turkish agreement leads to the thought that the joint statement made prior to Armenian Genocide 94th anniversary commemoration pursued some ulterior motives, Strategic Culture Foundation expert Andrey Areshev told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to Areshev, the statement probably aims to confirm normal course of Armenian-Turkish talks, "however, it is also evident that all disputable issues were finally resolved." "The United States' haste to welcome the statement also pursues certain ulterior motives. It is now possible to definitely say that Barack Obama will not say the Genocide word in his April 24 address, under the pretext that any abrupt steps may impair the negotiation process," the Russian expert finds.

With regard to route map, Arishev does not think Yerevan and Ankara have ever agreed on such document and had it approved on highest levels. "That is indispensable in the process of complete normalization of relations. A key question is to view normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties and Karabakh conflict settlement as closely related issues. Otherwise, it will be pointless to speak about any progress," Andrey Arishev said.