Ripple effects of Nagorno-Karabakh

ANKARA, Turkey, April 23 (UPI) -- Sweeping reforms in Ankara's policy toward Armenia and lingering disputes over Nagorno-Karabakh have widespread implications for regional diplomacy.

Ankara moved toward normalizing relations with longtime foe Armenia following a visit to Ankara by U.S. President Barack Obama. The situation bodes well for Ankara's ties to the European community but could have a ripple effect on relations with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told officials during a recent visit to Prague that Ankara was moving toward reaching out to its counterparts in Yerevan, suggesting Turkey may open its borders in time for a World Cup qualifying match in September.

Baku, however, may not look kindly on those developments, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

War broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s, and the regional fallout from that row remains tense despite a 1994 cease-fire.

Babacan said Ankara is working with Washington and other allies on the situation as part of a broader push to settle regional tensions in the aftermath of the Russian-Georgian war in August.

"It has long been and remains the position of the United States that normalization should take place without preconditions and within a reasonable time frame," acting U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said.

Meanwhile, with Russia seeking to counter Ankara's newfound diplomatic strength, developments on the Nagorno-Karabakh front could have sweeping ramifications on geopolitical dynamics.