Hamlet Hovsepyan, legal affairs advisor to the RoA Prime Minister and president of the "Liberation" veteran’s union, stated today that the recent protocols signed by Armenia and Turkey were a "step forward". We are inclined to cement friendship with our neighbours and it would be wise for Azerbaijan to come to its senses and understand that it will gain nothing from resorting to belligerent threats and that it should wash its hands of Karabakh." Furthermore, he said that since Karabakh isn’t mentioned in the protocols and there are no preconditions set down, it is all the more reason to view them in a positive light. "Of course there are concerns, but I am essentially an optimist and am inclined to believe that Turkey thinks along the same lines. Turkey is seen by the entire world as the one who shut the borders and as an aggressor state. Changes are taking place in Turkey as well. We are living in the 21 st century and it is in the interest of no country to have closed borders," Mr. Hovsepyan said. The speaker had some trouble specifying the economic consequences of the opening of the border. "It would be beneficial to the development of our business if we had a shorter route to the sea rather than paying exorbitant prices to the Georgians. Many products are now being brought from Turkey and most of the construction materials in our market comes from there. I would think such goods could be transported much cheaper via a direct route." While he said he didn’t know for sure, it was likely that the Armenian government was conducting such calculations and that a corresponding legal field needed to be set up regarding what rights Turks would enjoy in Armenia. He asked, for example, if they would be allowed to own property, etc. "Any country that opens its border and establishes diplomatic relations with another after having no such relations for many years must weigh the positive and negative aspects. I would think that there are people in the government, analysts and political experts, who must assume such tasks," commented Mr. Hovsepyan. He concluded by stating that the call by the Heritage Party to put the protocols to a referendum was ill-advised at this juncture since at issue isn’t the fate of Artsakh but rather diplomatic relations with Turkey and the opening of the border and that these are issues to be considered by the parliaments of the two countries.