ARMENIA AND TURKEY AGREE DIPLOMATIC THAW
Luke Harding
guardian.co.uk
Thursday 23 April 2009 10.47 BST
Turkey announces road map for establishing diplomatic relations after
long-running row over Armenia genocide
Armenia and Turkey today agreed to establish diplomatic relations,
in a step forward after years of no diplomatic ties and a bitter row
over Turkey’s refusal to recognise Armenia’s genocide.
The Turkish foreign ministry announced that both sides had agreed
a comprehensive "road map" that would lead to the normalisation of
bilateral relations, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.
Details are hazy, but it appears the deal does not include
recognition from the Turkish side of the Ottoman-era genocide
against Armenia. Instead, the deal appears to show a willingness
from Armenia to hold talks with Turkey, its much bigger neighbour,
without preconditions.
"Turkey and Armenia, together with Switzerland as mediator, have
been working intensively with a view to normalising their bilateral
relations and developing them in a spirit of good neighbourliness
and mutual respect," Turkey’s foreign ministry said this morning.
"The two parties have achieved tangible progress and mutual
understanding in this process. They have agreed on a comprehensive
framework for the normalisation of their bilateral relations in a
mutually satisfactory manner."
The road map would promote peace, security and stability in the whole
region, the ministry declared. Foreign ministers from both countries
are expected to meet soon in Switzerland.
Today’s long-awaited breakthrough follows a meeting between Turkey and
Armenia’s football teams in World Cup qualifying matches last year,
and what has been dubbed "football diplomacy".
In September the Turkish president, Abdullah Gul, accepted an
invitation from his Armenian counterpart, Serge Sarkisian, to watch the
game in Yerevan, Armenia’s historic capital. As a goodwill gesture,
Armenian officials waived visa restrictions on travelling Turkish
supporters.
Gul’s visit was the first to Armenia by a modern Turkish head of
state. The president watched the game sitting in the stands next to
Sarkisian, as the Turkish side overcame Armenia 2-0. The Armenian
president is due on a return visit to Turkey in October.
Armenia and Turkey have long been at odds over Turkey’s refusal to
acknowledge as genocide the deaths of up to 1.5 million Armenians
at the hands of Ottoman troops during the first world war. Several
countries have recognised the massacres.
Turkey says that far fewer Armenians perished, arguing that many
died of starvation and disease, and points to the fate of Turkish
victims who also died during 1915. Last year, however, it proposed
establishing a joint historical commission to explore the issue.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkey quickly recognised
post-Soviet Armenia as an independent state. Diplomatic relations
were frozen following Armenia’s war with neighbouring Azerbaijan,
Turkey’s Muslim ally, over the disputed ethnically Armenian enclave
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Today’s deal is likely to dismay Azerbaijan, which is demanding the
return of the territory.
The crumbling border road between Armenia and Turkey has been closed
for 15 years. Last week, however, there were signs that Yerevan plans
to swiftly re-establish road and cross-border land links with Turkey,
with stones piled up by the side of the potholed border.
Today some Armenian politicians said Armenia had given too much ground
in its desire for detente with Turkey. There could be no concessions
on the recognition of genocide against Armenia, they suggested.
The US president, Barack Obama, during a visit to Turkey earlier
this month, called on Turkey and Armenia to make progress on the
negotiations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
