DISTURBING, NEW REVELATIONS ON BORDER OPENING
By Ara Khachatourian

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Monday March 30, 2009

The verbal back-and-forth on an imminent agreement between Armenia and
Turkey continued Monday with the Turkish press reporting that Turkey
and Armenia had agreed on a roadmap to establish diplomatic ties and
open the border, with the sides reportedly contemplating the timing
of the announcement and some asserting that the announcement should
come next week before President Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey.

Some media reports also attributed an announcement about the border
opening after Obama’s visit to Armenia’s Foreign Minister Eduard
Nalbandian. The Armenian Foreign Ministry only denied that Nalbandian
ever made such an announcement.

But what of the other revelations blanketing the Turkish press Monday?

"Turkey and Armenia are readying to sign a protocol that marks
commitment by both sides to establish diplomatic relations and set up
committees on issues ranging from border management, customs, history
and more. Having achieved a satisfying deal which includes setting up
a history committee to discuss 1915 events, on which Yerevan dragged
its feet for a long time, the remaining dilemma for Ankara is the
proper timing of the announcement," reported the Hurriyet Daily News.

"The draft protocol will set the framework for transition to full
diplomatic relations possibly starting with low-key representations
in Ankara and Yerevan or accreditation of ambassadors from other
neighboring capitals.

Simultaneously Turkey will come up with a road map for a solution
in Nagorno-Karabakh. The modalities of the new border regime will be
determined upon the work by the border committee while as part of a
show of good will immediate measures would be taken for a gradual
opening. Diplomatic recognition will be supported by social and
economic projects with coordination of the Turkish Armenian Business
Development Council, or TABDC," added Hurriyet.

Several key issues were "revealed" including the troubling assertion
that Armenia has agreed to the formation of a commission of historians
to address the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s alleged role in drafting
a "road map" to Karabakh peace.

While this could be yet another sensationalist attempt by Turkey to
create an illusion that all systems are go for Turkish-Armenian detente
on the eve of the Obama visit in an effort to derail the Genocide
recognition issue, but the question of the veracity of Turkish claims
that Armenia has agreed to the formation of the commission remains
un-refuted by the Nalbandian apparatus.

On several occasions, Nalbandian and President Serzh Sarkisian have
reiterated that Armenia was in favor of establishing diplomatic
ties and opening of borders without any preconditions. Last week,
Nalbandian said that the issue of the Armenian Genocide is not up for
discussion during the ongoing negotiations to normalize relations
between Armenia and Turkey, when asked by a reporter to clarify
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan’s announcement that the sides
were, in fact, discussing the Genocide issue.

"I don’t want to believe that the Turkish Foreign Minister can make
such a statement, because the Armenian Genocide issue has not been
discussed with the Turkish side," asserted Nalbandian.

We do not want to believe it either. Any agreement on establishment
of a commission to address the veracity of the Genocide or a leading
role for Turkey in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process
are unacceptable and will jeopardize Armenia’s national interests
and security.

Next week Obama will be in Istanbul to attend a United Nations Summit
on Civilizations. We learned Monday, through the Turkish press, that
Nalbandian will also attend that event, leading the Turkish press to
speculate that the setting would be ripe to announce the so-called
border agreement.

To end the confusion and to further articulate Armenia’s national
interests, Nalbandian should make clear and thorough announcements,
because one-off responses to reporters’ inquiries and one sentence
denials by a spokesperson on this crucial matter of pan-national
importance are not enough as we enter what appears to be an historic
time for our nation.