IS THE ARMENIAN LOBBY HELPING ARMENIA?
Kursad Zorlu / Yeni Cag

Turkish Daily News, Turkey
Sept 25 2007

What others say

A meeting about the economic consequences of closing the
Turkish-Armenia border was recently held in Turkey. Organized by the
Ari Movement and the Armenian International Policy Research Group,
the meeting was sponsored by the Turkish-Armenian Business Development
Council.

Turkey’s potential gains were focused on. For instance, experts say
Turkey is luckier than Armenia in export. But some others believe
Armenia will have not much to lose if the border is not opened. On
the other hand, a few top-level officials in Armenia, with different
opinions to the Armenian lobby, insist on opening the border. In
fact, expatriates are either not aware of the difficulties or
don’t experience the heavy conditions in Armenia. Armenians who are
experiencing the hardships in the country believe opening the border
would help the economy recover and that they could market their goods
and services through Turkey.

These two starkly different approaches neither iron out bilateral
relations nor bring good to Armenia. Unless Armenia leaves the occupied
land in Azerbaijan and abandons the so-called genocide projects,
Turkey will not open its border. Armenia should think about its future
first and establish its own lobby at home.

I think right-minded Armenians should convince, not Turkey, but the
Armenian Lobby which is dragging the issue to a deadlock.