PETER SEMNEBY: TURKEY HAS TAKEN A ‘TACTICAL STEP BACKWARDS’ ON NORMALISING RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-06-18 11:50:00

ArmInfo. Turkey has taken a "tactical step backwards" on normalising
relations with Armenia because of hostile domestic reaction to the
move, EU South Caucasus envoy to the region Peter Semneby said in an
interview with Reuters.

"A step back was taken by the Turkish side … but this is not a
U-turn," Semneby said. "We expect the conversations will continue."

He also emphasized that it is important the "pause" in the peace
process between Turkey and Armenia did not last too long because of
the risk that impetus would be lost. He thinks that normalisation
(with Armenia) became the subject of quite widespread and heated
discussion in Turkey. "It seems to me, this discussion became more
heated than was expected". P. Semneby said.

"I see this as a Turkish tactical step backwards, but fundamentally,
the new foreign policy that has been pursued by the Erdogan
government, I don’t see that this policy is changing", Semneby
said. When touching on Nagorno Karabakh settlement, EU envoy said
real progress is being made.

"It is clear that if you look at the negotiating process, it is
intensifying," he told Reuters. "We had in a month two meetings and
there will be another relatively soon between the presidents."

Asked about the risk of conflict, Semneby said it would be foolish
to neglect it but he felt both sides understood the enormous costs
which would be involved in any large-scale military engagement.

"If anything, the Georgia war (last year with Russia), demonstrated
the risks of military engagement … it was also a wake-up call to
both countries how vulnerable they are".