NEW PHASE OF THE NEGOTIATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Nov 24 2008
Turkey

The Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan arrived in Istanbul
to participate in the meeting of foreign ministers of member states
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC). Today the
meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan is expected.

Turkey was one of the first state recognized the independence of the
Republic of Armenia after getting independence in November 1991. But
from that point not any diplomatic relation established between the two
countries. There were several reasons why Turkey did not establish any
diplomatic relation with Armenia. One of them was Armenia’s occupation
of 20% of the Azerbaijan territory, its ethnic cleansing of thousands
of Azerbaijani and over one million dislocated Azeri populations from
their homes by Armenians.

Tensions also stemming from the so-called 1915 genocide of Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire are a bitter point of contention, with the Armenian
state decrying the killings as genocide. Except these Armenian had
the territorial demand to Turkey. In the 11th article of Independence
charter approved by the Armenian Parliament on 23rd August 1990, The
East Anatolian of Turkey was referred to as "Western Armenia". For that
reason for opening the border and establishing diplomatic relations
Turkey has set up three precondition: that Armenia has stop its
territorial claims on Turkish land and recognize the Treaty of Moscow;
that Armenia call off the campaign pursued by both the Republic of
Armenia and certain Armenian Diaspora organizations which attempts to
encourage Turkey and other countries to recognize the legitimacy of
the Armenian Genocide; and lastly that Armenia has to withdraw from
occupied Azerbaijan territories.

Today Armenia tries to settle her problems with Turkey and open the
borders. And recently Turkey begins to play an important role in the
mediation between Azerbaijan and Armenia for solving Nagorno-Karabakh
problem. The foreign minister of Turkey, Ali Babacan, also said
in his speech that, "Good opportunity emerged for solving problems
among Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. This is a significant window
of opportunity. I find a need to positively evaluate this window of
opportunity because such windows open but they could close as time
goes by. While the window is open, all parties must hurry up to
normalize both Armenia-Azerbaijan and Turkey-Armenia relationships."

The main topics of the meeting, which will be held today between
the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia in Istanbul will be the
normalization of the bilateral relation between Turkey and Armenia,
and are expected to discuss the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and the so called genocide issue between Armenia and Turkey.