Crimea's joining Russia has tangibly weakened Ankara's positions in the region, an Armenian expert says

 Crimea's joining Russia has tangibly weakened Ankara's positions in the region, Gagik Haroutiunyan, political scientist, the head of Noravank Scientific 
Educational Foundation, told reporters, Friday. He said there was a real threat of Turkish Navy's domination in the Black Sea basin if Russia left Crimea, specifically, the base in Sevastopol, not to mention Ankara's appetites for the peninsula.

"However, the referendum of Crimea and unification with Russia has put an end to Turkey's expansionist aspirations. That fact was beneficial for Armenia, of course. We know that everything that is good for Turkey is not always good for Armenia," Haroutiunyan said. 

The expert believes that Yervan can use the fact of the Crimea referendum in the Karabakh peace process. "It is another triumph card in the hands of the Armenian diplomacy. In this light, it is very strange for me to see how some Armenian experts blame Russia's actions. I can understand the Turkish and Azerbaijani politicians and political experts who slam Moscow's action in Crimea, I can understand their motives, but when Armenian experts join them and 
criticize Russia, it is shocking," the analyst said.

Commenting on the latest statement by US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern wherein he voiced regret over the Armenian president's stance on Crimea, Gagik Haroutiunyan said: "The US ambassadors very often express their personal views of any issues, instead of voicing the official stance of their country."

To recall, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in a phone talk with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on 9 March that the Crimea referendum is another case of exercise of peoples' right to self-determination via free expression of will.