Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 11 2006
EU-Turkey relations force out the Armenian issue (analysis)
11.11.2006 15:10
Tatul Hakobyan
"Radiolur"
In the first half of this year the meetings of representatives of
Armenian and Turkish Ministries of Foreign Affairs registered no
progress in Yerevan-Ankara relations. Despite the bilateral
arrangement to conceal these contacts from the press, there was an
outflow in Armenian and Turkish media, following which
Armenian-Turkish contacts suspended, yielding no results.
During the past 15 years after Armenia’s independence there have been
no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey. At different
times Ankara has been suggesting different preconditions to Yerevan
-Armenia should refuse from the Armenian Genocide, recognize the
territorial integrity of contemporary Turkey, suspend its military
presence in Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent territories. Thus, the
Turkish side presents preconditions, which hinder the progress of the
Armenian-Turkish dialogue.
Recently after a break of several months, the Armenian-Turkish
dialogue resumed on the level of Foreign Ministers.
Abdullah Gul declared in Moscow that on the whole the borders are
open, since there are air flights between Armenia and Turkey and 70
thousand Armenians work in Turkey. However, RA Foreign Minister
characterized Gul’s statement as unfair. `First, the number of
Armenians living and working in Turkey is much less. Second, open
borders assume direct contacts between the peoples and working
transport communications,’ Vartan Oskanian stated.
Actually today Armenian-Turkish relations have entered a phase that
the normalization of these is associated with pressures and
expectations of third parties. Thus, those in Yerevan hope that in
case of accession to the EU, Turkey will have to lift the blockade,
that is to say that Armenian-Turkish relations are conditioned by the
wishes of Europe.
By the way, November 7 the European Commission issued a report titled
`Strategy of enlargement: the challenges of 2006-2007,’ in which
Ankara was severely criticized. Regarding the Armenian issues, the
regular report failed to denounce the denial campaign waged by
Turkey, both on its own territory and throughout the Union. Previous
mentions of the Genocide in previous reports – characterized
euphemistically as "tragic events" – were not reflected in this new
document.
On freedom of speech, only Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code was
mentioned. The Commission failed to denounce the other provisions of
Turkish law aimed at freedom of speech, especially Article 305, which
penalizes the affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. Finally, the
illegal blockade of Armenia is described using the dismissive
terminology, "closed border."
Sure, Europeans say strictly say that Turkey cannot enter the
European Union with closed borders, but they do not undertake serious
measures to make Ankara lift the blockade before full membership to
the European Union. This means that Turkey can keep the borders
locked up until Turkey’s accession to the EU, and this day may come
in 10 or 15 years. Americans also escape to undertake concrete steps
and exert pressure to make Ankara lift the blockade of Armenia. As
for our friend Russia, the latter even benefits from the closed
Armenian-Turkish border, since in case the border is opened the
question of appropriateness of Russian presence in Armenia will come
forward.
Thus, like in the past, Europeans, Russians and Americans try to make
the lack Armenian-Turkish relations serve their interests.