GEORGY PETROSSYAN: TURKEY HAS BECOME HOSTAGE OF ITS PROMISES GIVEN TO AZERBAIJAN IN DUE COURSE
NOYAN TAPAN
SEPTEMBER 24, 2009
TEPANAKERT
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. NKR Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrossyan gave an interview to the Turkish NTV TV Channel. Below is
interview’s text completely:
Q. Recently, Turkish-Armenian relations have been improved and some
protocols have been signed, etc. How do you treat that process from
the Karabakhi part?
A. To tell the truth, I am not informed that these protocols have
already been signed. Let’s express ourselves more correctly: according
to preliminary agreement these documents are to be presented to the
Parliaments for ratification within 6 weeks. If my data are incorrect,
you can contradict. We follow that process attentively enough, as the
country we live in should seriously follow developments like that. At
the same time I want to say that we don’t even try to interfere in
any decision-making process of citizens and leadership of Armenia. Our
stance is clear-cut: we have never interfered and don’t interfere in
Armenia’s domestic life, although we understand that there are some
issues of All-Armenian sounding, connected with the establishment of
close relations between Turkey and Armenia that we are worried about.
Q. Yes, those protocols have not been signed yet, but, anyhow, today
if they speak in Turkey about Armenian-Turkish relations, connected
with the protocols, Karabakh is constantly mentioned, though it is
not involved in these processes.
A. We wish Turkey and Turkish officials, who constantly state that
without the Karabakh issue settlement any progress is impossible,
had the same attitude. We wish these 2 issues were separated from
each other.
Q. How will the Karabakh problem be solved, to your mind? Will you
have a meeting with Azerbaijan one day on solving the issue, or is
it possible to solve it on the international platform?
A. We have repeatedly stated that we are ready to sit around the table
for negotiations and discuss various questions, but unfortunately
Azerbaijan refuses, for some reason or other. May be it has its
own argumentation for it. To my mind Azerbaijan has no grounds to
persistently refuse having direct relations with us. We have said
more than once that the settlement can hardly be productive without
taking into account the NKR people’s opinion.
Q. Maybe it is the unique sample of a republic in the world that is not
recognized by anyone. What are the problems connected with it? When you
look at the future what do you see? How will you achieve recognition?
A. First of all, it is quite distinctly fixed in the international
law that the political situation in a republic does not depend on its
today’s recognition or non-recognition. Secondly, during all these
years, since 1992, we have proved both us and the others that we want
and we are able to establish statehood, which is the basis of our
general policy in this condition as well. From this point of view,
the issue of the Nagorno Karabakh independence recognition will have
a solution sooner or later. If you have noticed, we treat different
political events taking place in our region with restraint and don’t
allow ourselves to take antagonistic steps in the informational field,
and I hope it is evaluated both by the international community and
our adversary. Besides, we suggest the other part to the conflict and
other states, who try to gamble the negotiation process of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement or use it for their national interests,
treat similarly.
Q. It is clear that a solution of the problem is a matter of time.
A. Time is an irreversible category.
Q. What will you tell or advise Turkey as the Foreign Minister of
Karabakh?
A. At the moment I find difficulty in giving any advice. But,
anyway, let’s not forget, that Armenians and Turkey have numerous
problems and complicated knots that today influence our everyday
life. I wish the process of approach was not a matter of gambling but
serious negotiations and meetings also were held between people of
two countries, in order to make our positions clear-cut and precise
and to come to mutual understanding. These tangled points on the whole
relate not only to Armenians and the Armenian world. In connection with
the Karabakh events, I can say that it was in the period of the modern
history that Karabakhi people raised a political question. Since 1988,
in fact on the threshold of dissolution of the USSR, we have witnessed
certain events in the territory of Azerbaijan in connection with the
Armenian population: of course passions have been fanned again, wounds
opened, and if it was not a preparatory step to commit genocide, then
what was that? Today there are different comments concerning those
issues: official, humanitarian, etc. These are the questions that
seriously influence human memories, future policy and possibilities
to establish good-neighborly relations. It’s evident that nobody will
leave this territory. Common edges must be found in this territory
which must be based on human rights, as well as on the right of
people in general. This is the most significant thing. In addition,
in the present situation we see that Turkey’s high-ranking officials
directly try to connect these two issues together: Nagorno-Karabakh
problem and the problem of Armenian-Turkish relations. It does not
contribute to the settlement of the problem, as Turkey has obviously
become the hostage of his promises given to Azerbaijan in due course,
and this very directly and clearly shows that Azerbaijan exerts
pressure. Willy-nilly Turkey becomes a concerned party once again
insisting, that without this, this and that, it is impossible to
achieve any positive result. This is also perceived as a means of
pressure; however any display of pressure can hardly ensure positive
results.
Q. Thank you very much. Have you anything to add?
A. At the moment I have nothing to add. I think these days set
the beginning of the future, when Karabakhi officials will have an
opportunity to get in touch not only with journalists, but also with
the politicians of different countries. Restrained and calm political
dialogues and discussions will be very productive. l will merely add
that time has a concept of irreversibility, and Turkey also has such
an experience, but everybody must have the courage to take a sensible
view of his past, his history in order to build his future.