WPS Agency, Russia
April 24, 2009 Friday
TURKISH GAMBIT;
Serj Sargsjan brought with him a sensation
by Arkady Dubnov, Gajane Movsesjan
ARMENIA AND TURKEY DECIDED TO NORMALIZE BILATERAL RELATIONS;
Normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey will alter the
regional situation in more ways than one.
Deplaning in Moscow for a working visit on April 22, President of
Armenia Serj Sargsjan already knew what the rest of the world was only
bound to discover the following morning: Armenia and Turkey had agreed
to normalize bilateral relations. Foreign ministers of these countries
signed the appropriate declaration at the talks brokered by
Switzerland on the night on April 23. The document stated that Turkey
and Armenia decided "to launch a complex process of normalization of
the relations" that would "promote mutual interests". The so called
Road Map plan of the future negotiations between Ankara and Yerevan
was adopted. Among other things, it stands for the opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border which Ankara closed in 1993 protesting against
occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia in the wake of a
conflict between these two countries. Currently on a visit to Poland,
Ovik Abramjan of the Armenian National Assembly (parliament) said that
the Armenian-Turkish border might be opened and diplomatic relations
established in 2009.
"It was probably no coincidence at all that the Armenian-Turkish
declaration was signed on the eve of April 24 when victims of Armenian
genocide in the Ottoman Empire are solemnized," to quote Arman
Melikjan, formerly foreign minister of the self-proclaimed and
unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and former candidate for
president of Armenia. "US President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak
in Washington later today. Armenians all over the world would dearly
like him to keep his promise and use the term "genocide" in his speech
today."
Judging by activeness of US diplomacy in general and that of Matthew
Bryza, American Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, official Washington
in its turn would dearly like to do without the use of so strong a
term in the president’s speech. It will complicate atmosphere of the
Armenian-Turkish relations and impair the Road Map which is nothing
Yerevan or Ankara will want, of course. Well-informed and trustworthy
sources report that Washington put the Armenian leadership under
certain pressure to compel it to sign the joint declaration "without
any preliminary terms or conditions". Representatives of the
Dashnaktsutjun party explained meanwhile that the terms and conditions
in question included Yerevan’s demands for acknowledgement of genocide
by Turkey and restoration of the Armenians’ rights. Dashnaktsutjun
leadership condemned the joint declaration signing as "despicable and
unacceptable behavior" that indicated "a negative change in the
foreign policy of Armenia." It even promised to consider expediency of
continued participation in he government coalition one of these days.
Approached for comments, Alexander Iskandarjan (Director of the
Armenian Institute of the Caucasus), admitted that he was "reasonably
confident that Obama will make a stiffly-worded statement indeed, but
omit the term "genocide" from it." "What will happen in Washington
this Friday is important to Turkey. What is happening in the relations
between Armenia and Turkey on the other hand is important to
Washington," the political scientist said.
"The joint Armenian-Turkish declaration gives Obama leave not to use
the term "genocide" in his speech," Melikjan said. "That’s a tactical
move, one that enables the Americans and Turks alike to save
face. Were it not for Armenia’s goodwill, the relations between them
could be compromised." Melikjan suggested that Ankara, while remaining
Washington’s ally, might initiate a closer rapprochement with
Russia. "It will make these two countries (Russia and Turkey – Vremya
Novostei) strategic partners and alter the correlation of forces in
the region," Melikjan said.
There is, however, a possibility of a wholly different turn of events,
one that will affect Russia’s current positions in the
region. "Suggesting normalization of relations with Armenia, Ankara
put forth several demands including withdrawal of the Russian troops
from Armenia and specifically from the Turkish-Armenian border,"
Melikjan explained. He said that the Armenian-Turkish border might be
opened indeed, but with the risk of closing again. "This particular
issue will always be on the agenda, pending the establishment of a new
geopolitical configuration."
As if to add to the intrigue of the latest developments, all these
matters were discussed by presidents of Armenia and Russia in Dmitry
Medvedev’s residence near Moscow, last night. Presidential press
service reported that the talks were centered around bilateral
cooperation, security issues, and Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
Sargsjan thanked Medvedev for his "invaluable contribution to Karabakh
settlement" and for having retained Russia’s previous position even
after the visit of the president of Azerbaijan to Moscow. Elaborating
on this position, Sargsjan said that Russia believed in settlement of
the conflict in accordance with international law (it was clearly a
reference to the right to self-determination).
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev did visit Moscow several days ago
and also praised Russia’s faithfulness to international law. unlike
Yerevan, however, official Baku made an emphasis on recognition of the
principle of territorial integrity (of Azerbaijan, of course). The
whole conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is a collision between these two
principles promoted by the warring sides. It seems that Baku and
Yerevan had better meet each other halfway and agree to table the
matter of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh (to be determined by a
referendum in the enclave itself). At least, this is what Medvedev and
Aliyev agreed on in the course of the talks.
There is no saying if Medvedev succeeded in persuading Sargsjan to
refrain from participation in NATO’s military exercise in Georgia
scheduled for early May. Armenia is the only member of the CIS
Collective Security Treaty Organization that accepted the invitation
to the exercise. A seasoned Russian diplomat commented that relations
of allies with Yerevan notwithstanding, the new president of Russia
finds his Azerbaijan opposite number easier to deal with than the
Armenian counterpart.
Source: Vremya Novostei, No 71, April 24, 2009, pp. 1 – 2
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
