VARTAN OSKANIAN: TURKEY MISSED TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO SPREAD ITS INFLUNCE IN REGION

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Over the past 17 years, Turkey has
missed two historical opportunities to make its positive contribution
to the establishment of peace and stability and the economic
development of the South Caucasian region. The Armenian foreign
minister Vartan Oskanian stated this in his speech at the December
19 parliamentary hearings "Armenian-Turkish Relations. Problems
and Prospects".

According to him, in 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union,
there was a vacuum in the region: Russia was weak and unable to spread
its influence, and the competition was going on between Turkey and
Iran. However, as the West opposed Iran’s penetration into the region,
the field was open to Turkey. But Turkey failed to subdue regional
strategic interests to its narrow ethnic interests and so missed this
opportunity. Turkey not only failed to acquire a positive influence
in the region but also in those years it formed its public opinion
in such a way that the authorities found themselves in a situation,
from which it was actually impossible to get out.

Besides, there was Azerbaijani pressure – not to open the
Armenain-Turkish border and not to establish diplomatic relations
with Armenia.

According to V. Oskanian, in order to get out of this situation,
Turkey could have used the second opportunity when negotiations on
its membership of the European Union started. Turkey could have told
its people and Azerbaijan that EU membership is the country’s supreme
task and so it is necessary to settle problems with Armenia. However,
Turkey did not take this step.

V. Oskanian said that Turkey’s joining the EU is in the interests of
Armenia just for the reason that in this case Armenia would have a
border with the EU. Armenia is concerned about whether the decision
of the EU on Turkey’s membership will be as fair as in case of other
countries or for certain reasons the EU will make a political decision.