Opening of border with Armenia to give Turkey advantage in dialog with Obama

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey should not fear that U.S. President-elect will recognize the Armenian Genocide, a Turkish expert said.



"What needs to be done is further improving the relations with Yerevan and marginalizing the Armenian diaspora in the United States," said Omer Taspinar, an expert on Turkey with the Washington-based Brookings Institution. "By opening borders with Armenia and taking other appropriate steps, Turkey will have the trump card in its hands."



Marc Grossman, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, advised the Turkish government to keep improving ties with Armenia during a teleconference at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara early on Wednesday. "Dialogue and open borders with Armenia will give Turkey an advantage in discussing the issue with the Obama administration," he said, Today's Zaman reports.