COMMENTS OF AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL SCIENTISTS REGARDING THE VISIT OF TURKISH PRESIDENT ABDULLAH GUL TO YEREVAN

Today.Az
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Sept 1 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az held a blitz-poll among famous Azerbaijani political scientists
regarding the upcoming visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gul
to Armenia.

Famous political scientist Eldar Jahangirov:

"It is an undoubted axiom that leaders of every country ought to care
about the national interests of their country. In this connection,
the decision of Turkish President Abdullah Gul to visit Yerevan to
watch a football match between the teams of Armenia and Turkey is a
bright illustration of official Ankara’s protection of the national
interests of Turkey.

But I think that the decision of the working leadership of Turkey is
a mistake in the strategic sense, as no one in Yerevan has ever said
that Armenia would disavow the idea of recognition of the "genocide"
of Armenians in Osman Turkey, which implies possible further material
and territorial claims by Armenia and world Armenians. We just hear of
Armenia’s readiness for a dialogue with Turkey, which is an unstable
ground for optimism and even so more for such apparent steps towards
Armenia, which are made by the working leadership of Turkey.

Famous political scientist Zardusht Alizade:

"I approve the decision of Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who
accepted the invitation of the Armenian President to attend the
Armenia-Turkey football match in Yerevan, as, thus, Turkey will have
more opportunities to influence the progressive part of the Armenian
society, which speaks for the normalization of the Turkish-Armenian
relations. I am sure that after Abdullah Gul’s visit to Yerevan the
voices of those, who support normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations
will sound stronger.

As for Azerbaijan, we should have got rid of illusions that someone,
in this case, Turkey, will settle our problems, in this case the
problem of the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani lands.

Azerbaijan and Turkey are two different states and our national
interests also differ. Turkey is currently holding an external
policy, which is profitable to it. Nagorno Karabakh and all other
occupied lands is our own, Azerbaijani business, it is our mirror,
which reflects our idea of honor and dignity"

Famous political scientist Vafa Quluzade:

"Today the South Caucasus region reminds of a boiler with muddy water
and it is difficult to single out a grain in this water. The visit of
Turkish President Abdullah Gul is also thus contradictory and covered
with a veil of secrecy.

It is only left to guess about the real motives of this step of
the current leadership of Turkey. If Turkey makes these steps under
Russia’s pressure, which promises economic benefits in a form of energy
supply, flow of tourists and other bonuses to it, it is frustrating,
because I understand personally that Armenia is an edge, Russia is
targeting at Turkey with. It is also clear that Armenians hate Turks
genetically, accusing them of organization of a mythical "genocide"
in Osman Turkey in 1915. Armenians’ outlook can not change in the
result of the only visit of the Turkish President to Yerevan.

Moreover, we all remember well that Turkish leaders, including the
working ones, have repeatedly stated that official Ankara has nothing
to speak of with official Yerevan unless the latter releases the
occupied lands of Azerbaijan.

Unfortunately, we see that times change and it makes us think that
Turkey treats Azerbaijan as a stepson, while we, in Azerbaijan,
would like to see a mother in Turkey’s face. Therefore, we hope that
Abdullah Gul’s visit will finally be in favor of not only Armenia
and Turkey, but also Azerbaijan. For this purpose it is necessary
for Armenia to disavow the idea of recognition of 1915 "genocide"
and agree to return all the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, coming back
to the Caucasus family and rejecting the status of "Russia’s outpost
in the Caucasus", which is disgraceful for an independent state.

Famous political scientist Rasim Aghayev:

"The whole policy of a thaw in the Armenian-Turkish relations has a
hidden motive. The thing is that Erdogan’s government, with all its
achievements, is in a vulnerable state. The thing is that Islamists are
still not accepted either in the United States or in Europe. Therefore,
the attempts of Erdogan’s government to change opinion about them out
of Turkey’s bounds are not surprising. Unfortunately, in the result,
it turns out that the current leadership of Turkey is turning into
"a greater Catholics than the Roman Pope".

Unfortunately, most actions of the working leadership of Turkey are
astonishing. They are understandable and suitable for the United States
and Europe, which put pressure on Turkey in the issue of restoring
good neighbor relations with Armenia, but are surprising for Turkey,
which was used to base on the national interests of the state and
these interests do not attribute excessive naivety to official Ankara
in building its relations with Armenia, which is currently in a poor
economic state, but has not yet disavowed the idea of recognizing the
"genocide of Armenians" in the Osman Turkey and has not released the
occupied lands of Azerbaijan, though these terms were put forward by
official Ankara as critical ones for initiation of a dialogue with
official Yerevan.

It seems to me that after Abdullah Gul’s visit to Yerevan, the
relations between Armenia and Turkey may improve which will worsen
Azerbaijan’ state, for, in this case, we will be left without a
strong partner in the region, while Armenia can always count on
Russia’s support".

Famous political scientist Ilgar Mamedov:

"The visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gul is a positive step, which
in the new conditions, established in the South Caucasus following
a new, tough phase of tensions in the Georgian-Russian conflict,
may change the geopolitical construction of the region.

After the rupture of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Russia,
Armenia is even in a greater isolation. All conditions for further
development and security of Armenia will further be challenged, for
Georgia was a kind of a "window" to Russia for it. Now Georgia has no
diplomatic relations with Russia and is closely bound to Azerbaijan
and Turkey by its geopolitical and economic interests. But it would
be inexpedient for such a small state as Armenia to bind its future
only on the border with Iran. Armenia’s such a shaky position will
allow Turkish leadership to persuade the leaders of this country of
the destructiveness of the way for self-isolation.

Gul will try to explain to Armenians that if they disavow the
territorial claims to Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia will be able to
benefit from the regional economic and political cooperation".
From: Baghdasarian