Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
June 21 2005
EU Official Says Turkey must Strengthen Relations with Armenia
KARS – Turkey-European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Commission
Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk has indicated that Turkey’s most
important task in its EU process is good relations with its
neighbours. He urged Turkey to improve its relations with Armenia.
However he did call Yerevan to withdraw its forces from occupied
Azerbaijani territories.
Lagendijk was at the Kars Mayor Naif Alibeyoglu’s office where he
made comments on Turkey-EU relations.
“Turkey must strengthen its relations with Armenia. Nothing can be
achieved with isolationist policies. I believe that Azerbaijan can
get back its territory through dialogue. The EU must play an active
role to find a solution to the Armenian – Azerbaijani dispute. We
must look at the Turkey – Armenia and Armenia – Azerbaijan problems
as ones separate from each other,” told Lagendijk. Armenia does not
recognise Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Turkish
public perceive a religious solidarity between EU and Armenia in
Armenian issues because the EU offcils have always critising Turkey
and Azerbaijan though Armenian is the occupier in the region.
According to Lagendijk, it is vital to have regional policies to
develop the economy in poor areas.
“We agree with Mr Erdogan on his stance vis-a-vis Armenia. An
independent committee of historians must be formed to study the
incidents of early 20th century. Independent studies must take place
on the events of 1915. However, the border gate between Turkey and
Armenia must be opened soon,” said Lagendijk.
The bordergate was open however when Armenia occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan Turkey closed the territorial borders. Yet the air borders
are still open and 50more than 50,000 Armenians work in Istanbul
though no Muslim Turkish could stay in Armenia.
Meanwhile, Kars Mayor Naif Alibeyoglu stressed that the people of
Kars wholeheartedly support Turkey’s EU membership. “The EU is a goal
outlined by Kemal Ataturk. We want to be a part of the EU,” noted
Alibeyoglu.
Turkey simply asks Armenia 3 steps to take:
1. Do not try to change borders by force, and withdraw Armenian
forces,
2. Recognise Turkey’s national borders and do not imply any
irredentist policy towards Turkey and other neigbours,
3. Do not undermine the relations just focusing the historical
disputes.
The Armenian politicians put the 1915 events at the heart of Armenian
foreign policy. Armenians argue that the 1915 Relocation Campaign was
‘massacre’ against Armenians. The Armenians rioted in 1915 against
ýstanbul Government and when the armed Armenians attacked the Armies,
Istanbul Government decided to relocate them. Many Armenians died
during the campaign due to the ethnic clashes, epidemic diseases and
bad weather conditions. More than 520,000 Turks were masscred by the
Armenian extremists during the same years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress