With local government elections due n 2013 in Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will do his best to gain a victory for his party on the threshold of 2014 presidential vote, a Turkologist believes.

As Artak Shakaryan told a January 23 news conference, Erdogan may start talks with Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) founder Abdullah Öcalan to secure Kurish votes, with the step to escalate anti-Armenian moods in the country.

“Turkish nationalism has 2 main directions, anti-Armenian and anti-Kurdish. With Kurds to support Erdogan, Armenians will remain the only target of Turkish nationalists. In such a situation, Armenian community, especially Istanbul-based Armenians, can be regarded as hostages,” the expert concluded.