WHAT PRICE SHOULD ARMENIA PAY FOR TURKISH BORDER OPENING?
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2009 GMT+04:00

Armenia is a bone in the throat of Turkey and Azerbaijan, whose final
aim is but complete destruction of the Armenian nation.

With the Armenian-Turkish border opened, if it should ever happen,
there would be put a final stop to the story of the World War I. If
we believe the Turkish sources (and there is absolutely no ground
not to believe them), Armenia has agreed to the "preconditions"
put forward by Ankara. As we recall, the basic condition was the
recognition of the modern borders of Turkey after the collapse of
the Ottoman Empire. After the USSR breakdown, Turkey has been looking
forward to getting confirmation from Armenia and Russia of her right
of full succession of the Soviet Union including all the agreements,
in spite of the fact that the Moscow and Kars treaties were signed
by Russia and not by the USSR.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Another condition was the establishment of a
joint commission on investigating the events of 1915. Besides, the
Turkish authorities have laid down a new condition before Yerevan –
the opening of the Turkish border is possible only after April 24.

According to the Turkish newspaper Star, the talks between Armenia
and Turkey have entered the final stage. "The document to be signed
by both parties envisages opening of the common border, establishment
of trade relations and formation of a commission for investigation
of 1915 events. Karabakh issue is not a governing condition," Turkish
newspaper Star quoted a source in the ruling AK Party as saying. It is
quite clear both for Turkey and Armenia that the joint commission can
define nothing regarding the "events of 1915". The Ottoman archives of
the period of World War I, if any are preserved, must have long been
"cleared". However, there are also the archive documents of the US
State Department, which keeps all the dispatches of US Ambassador to
Istanbul Henry Morgenthau… Besides, it is improper for historians
of international fame to deny the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

Talks between Armenia and Turkey started still in Berne in
2007. Despite the fact that the Armenian side kept denying the
information on secret negotiations between the two countries, Turkish
media circulated the misinformation for rather long. It is common
knowledge that Turkey needs opening of the border much more than
Armenia does, and under such circumstances it becomes incomprehensible
why should Armenia give another tramp card to Turkey for the latter’s
integration into the EU and consolidation of her position as a regional
power. If we consider the changes in the Armenian-Turkish relations
for the past year, it must be admitted that it wasn’t so successful
for the Armenian diplomacy, though the border is nearly certain to
open and Armenia has more chances to be part of regional projects. It
is also of no small importance that Turkey is carrying out her policy
without a glance at Azerbaijan. It would be too naïve, however, to
consider that Ankara will utterly refuse the support from Azerbaijan,
but, at the same time, she will make a curtsey to Yerevan, perfectly
realizing that there is no other way out. However, we Armenians
should never forget that Armenia is a bone in the throat of Turkey
and Azerbaijan, whose final aim is but complete destruction of the
Armenian nation. Even 94 years later the words of Talat Pasha put us
on our guard as before, "No Armenian can be our friend after what we
did with them…" One does not even want to believe that Armenians
might be made to forget the year of 1915 and those following it.

Head of the Caucasus Institute, political scientist Alexander
Iskandaryan believes, opening of the border depends on two
factors. "The first factor is the Municipal elections in Turkey
due on March 29. At the forthcoming elections the ruling AK Party
must ultimately strengthen its positions in the field of domestic
policy. The other factor is related to the United States: whether
President Barack Obama will use the term ‘genocide’ in his April 24
statement or not," Iskandaryan said, adding that the Karabakh issue
is not, in fact, a key condition for Turkey in improving relations
with Armenia.

Naturally enough, no border can remain eternally closed, especially
in the 21st century. But one must always be aware and make sure that
each of the sides is ready to pay the price for the uncertain world
and for even more uncertain friendship. Karabakh issue is not central
for Turkey now, but the situation might be changed when Turkey has to
obey the orders of the USA and Europe in relation to Armenia. Then
she will have a lever for oppressing Yerevan and there will be no
need to close the border another time once again.