Turkey’s strategic role and leverage diminished, Ruben Safrastyan says
The world is living a period of political upheaval given the strained relations between the U.S. and Russia. That poses a danger to the region of the South Caucasus, Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan told a press conference on Tuesday in Yerevan.
“The second important factor is the abatement of Turkey’s strategic role and leverage conditioned with mistakes of strategic significance made by Erdogan [President of Turkey]. To mention one is worsening Turkey’s relations with Germany that led to drastic cut of German investments in the economy as well as the tourist flow to Turkey,” Safrastyan said, adding Turkey is weaken by its imprudent policy toward Syria as well.
“Adventurism brings undesirable consequences. The Assad government is gradually strengthening its positions, the same are the Kurds of Syria, who are gaining legitimacy,” Safrastyan said, while enumerating all the factors of negative impact on Turkey’s image.