‘IF THERE ARE NO DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT’

AZG Armenian Daily #088, 18/05/2005

Armenia-Turkey

Turkish PM Responds to Armenian President’s Speech

The Turkish political circles were rather optimistic over the
possibility of a meeting between Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Warsaw. The issue
did not drop out Turkish press’ attention as well. So, in its May
16 issue Milliet newspaper predicted that the leaders of two states
would meet that very day.

But on May 17 Milliet changed its view writing that Kocharian’s speech
at the CE summit left no chance for a meeting. The other Turkish
papers, Hyurriet and Zaman in particular, followed Milliet’s example.

Those papers focus on expression by Robert Kocharian that “Armenia
believes in Europe with open borders, with no violence, blockades and
refugees”. Zaman notes that the Armenian President “called for the
inclusion” of Nagorno Karabakh in Europe and that the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide is “in harmony with the European
values”.

The newspapers mention meanwhile that Kocharian offered thanks to
those CE states that recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide.

Conclusions Turkish press makes from Kocharian’s speech are
noteworthy. It considers that by the “open borders and Europe without
blockades” Kocharian “hinted at Armenia’s blockade by Turkey”,
reminding of the 90th anniversary of the Genocide, “Kocharian showed
that Armenia will not give up its efforts of international recognition
of the genocide”. Kocharian’s words about Nagorno Karabakh “as a state
de facto existing” are interpreted as a blow to the attempt to find
a solution for the Nagorno Karabakh issue previously discussed with
the Azerbaijani President.

Milliet writes that Erdogan was off for a meeting with the President
of Lithuania during Kocharian’s speech. But that was no obstacle
for Erdogan, as Hyurriet notes, to call a press conference for
comeback. According to Milliet Erdogan said, “I think it’s a way
of self-satisfaction to speak of Armenian genocide while having
no grounds. You cannot dupe the humankind by describing few death
cases during deportation as ‘genocide’. Baseless decisions of diverse
parliaments reached due to your lobby are forceless for us. We have
sincerely offered our views to Kocharian. He gave unbecomingly
positive response. We want the response to become more and more
positive. Removal of these allegations from the agenda would be
beneficial for Armenia too. If there are no diplomatic relations,
they should be held responsible for that. Europe recognized them as
occupants. Did they withdraw from Karabakh? No. Let them first carry
out their obligation. Future is not the reality that a politician
should build on hatred”.

Zaman adds that “Kocharian’s move on genocide killed hopes for
Kocharian-Erdogan meeting”. Erdogan said that Armenia and Turkey
have put forward no claims before each other, so there can be no
meeting. According to Zaman, Turkish PM meanwhile warned the countries
whose parliaments have taken decisions of recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, saying, “If they overstep the limits, we also will take a
decision to condemn all those states that perpetuated genocides. And
our decision will base on historic evidence”.

By Hakob Chakrian