Sunday’s Zaman , Turkey
Oct 18 2009

Azerbaijan has mixed feelings over Turkish-Armenian protocols

Following the `historic event’ of the signing of protocols on the
normalization of relations and the establishment of diplomatic ties
between Turkey and Armenia on Oct. 10 in Zurich, reaction to the
protocols in Azerbaijan was mixed.

`Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are of great importance, and both
sides should make efforts not to cripple and damage them,’ said Ä°sa
Gambar, the leader of Müsavat, the opposition and second largest party
in Azerbaijan. Stressing the importance of having faith in Turkish
leadership, Gambar said it is necessary to trust the Turkish prime
minister’s words concerning the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem, which he [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an] reiterated
both before the Azerbaijani Parliament and in various international
stands.
Since Sept. 6, 2008, when Turkish President Abdullah Gül visited
Yerevan to watch the Turkey-Armenia World Cup qualifying match upon
the invitation of his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarksyan, Turkish
foreign affairs has made many strides leading to the signing ceremony
of the two protocols. The signing of these protocols became an ending
mechanism of these tough processes begun by both sides last year,
simultaneously sticking in the minds as a start of the crossroads of
the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement and the reconciliation of alienated
neighbors. Only two months after the ratification of the protocols by
the parliaments of Armenia and Turkey will the protocols be put into
effect.

However, these processes were met and still are being met with harsh
reactions not only on the Turkish and Armenian fronts but also in
Azerbaijan, another neighbor to Turkey, at the same time its strategic
ally in the region. The nationalists both inside and outside Armenia
were protesting the healing of relations with Turkey in the wake of
the protocols as the Armenia diaspora was considering this move a
betrayal towards the recovery of `Great Armenia.’ Nonetheless, in
Turkey and Azerbaijan the agitation was because of the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem, which has been occupied together with
adjacent territories by Armenia since the early ’90s and because of
which the borders between Turkey and Armenia were closed. The Azeri
society is, in itself, concerned about the signing and ratification of
these protocols unless the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh ends and the
Azeri refugees and internally displaced persons return to their native
lands.

Speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, Elman Nasirov, the deputy director at the
Center of Geostrategic Investigation within the Academy of Public
Administration under the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, said
he is sure that sooner or later the protocols signed between Armenia
and Turkey will be ratified by Turkish Parliament. He based his idea
on the seats that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) occupy
in the Turkish Parliament. `The AK Party occupies 340 seats out of
550, which gives me the idea that the protocols could be ratified, if
not the first time then the second time for sure.’ However, he stated
that it is impossible for the AK Party not to take any steps towards
the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. `Otherwise, this will
lead to major changes in the region of the South Caucasus and thus
will result in the change of the status quo,’ added the expert.
`Expected change in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy will not be welcomed
by Turkey and the West,’ Nasirov underlined.

Calling for attentive and sensitive behavior from both Turkey and
Azerbaijan, Gambar said the sides should not act on emotions. `These
are the complicated and risky processes. And we expect sensitive
behaviors by Turkey. We have rights for that," stated the opposition
leader. Mentioning his thoughts about mass media and their role in the
delivery of these events to Azeri people, Gambar noted that these are
limited discussions that do not display the opinions of mainstream
Azerbaijani society.

`The Azeri society should explicitly assert their opinions towards
the steps being put forward by the Turkish government these days. The
signed protocols, which could bring the opening of the border between
Turkey and Armenia, is an attempt at empowering the aggressor
[Armenia]. The Azeri side should voice that,’ said Nasirov. `However,
it does not mean to cause a deterioration of relations with the
Turkish businessmen and students in Azerbaijan.’ The expert especially
stressed that harming relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan
constitutes the main part of Armenian national strategic policy and
that the Azeris should not create a situation by getting angry with
Turkey to realize their ambitions.

Good relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan have been worsening since
April, when negotiations to normalize relations between Turkey and
Armenia took a bold line. Despite Prime Minister ErdoÄ?an’s eloquent
speech before Azerbaijani deputies on May 13, which has somehow
silenced the voices criticizing Turkey over the Armenian initiative,
the relations worsened after August, when the two countries started
internal political consultations. The item that angered Azerbaijan the
most in the protocols was the opening of the border between the two
countries. Turkey has had a closed border with Armenia since 1993
following the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed
territory of Azerbaijan currently controlled by Armenia.

18 October 2009, Sunday
LAMÄ°YA ADÄ°LGIZI BAKU
From: Baghdasarian