TURKISH FM DEFENDS DEALS WITH ARMENIA
By Selcan Hacaoglu

eTaiwan News
Oct 21 2009

Turkey’s government faced stiff opposition in parliament on
Wednesday over its landmark agreement to improve ties with Armenia
by establishing diplomatic relations and opening their sealed border.

But the government has a majority in the 550-seat Parliament that is
likely to approve the accord when it is debated for ratification. The
agreement _ aimed at ending a century of enmity between Turkey and
Armenia _ stirred heated debate in Parliament hours after it was
submitted by the government. No date has been set for its ratification.

Wednesday’s criticism by some opposition lawmakers reflected deep
discontent over the deal, which also aims to start a dialogue over
the contentious issue of whether the killing of up to 1.5 million
Armenians during the final days of the Ottoman Empire amounted to
genocide. Turkey says the number is inflated and that many died on
both sides during a chaotic period.

"We want to establish good ties with all our neighbors, including
Armenia. We want to establish a healthy communication channel that
will prevent exploitation of past grievances," Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu told Parliament in a speech that often was interrupted by
opposition lawmakers. "No one benefits from the status quo, neither
Armenia …nor Azerbaijan …nor Turkey."

Davutoglu signed the deal with his Armenian counterpart Edward
Nalbandian on Oct. 10 in Switzerland to normalize ties between the
two neighbors. He said the accord _ which U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton helped save from a last-minute snag in Zurich _
will promote economic welfare and stability in the region.

Another potential obstacle is Turkey’s desire to see Armenian troops
withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-occupied enclave in
Azerbaijan that has been a center of regional tensions.

"We will never support these deals," said Oktay Vural, a member of the
opposition Nationalist Action Party. "There should be no diplomatic
ties unless Armenia drops claims to Turkish territory and the border
should not be opened unless Armenia withdraws from Azerbaijan."

Davutoglu explained that Turkey, which shares ethnic and cultural
bonds with Azerbaijan, wants a peaceful settlement to the dispute
over Nagorno-Karabakh.

But Turkey and Azerbaijan, which share ethnic and linguistic bonds,
protested this week after Azerbaijan removed Turkish flags at a
cemetery and outside some Turkish missions in apparent retaliation to a
ban that prevented Turkish fans from waving Azeri flags during a World
Cup qualifier match between Turkey and Armenia earlier this month.

Davutoglu, who will fly to Azerbaijan on Thursday, downplayed the rift.

Also at stake is natural gas trade with the energy-rich Armenia.

Turkey is trying to persuade the Caspian country to provide gas for
a new pipeline that will reach Europe and reduce the European Union’s
reliance on Russian gas.

"We always feel the problems of our Azeri brothers in our heart,"
Davutoglu said. "The territorial unity of Azerbaijan is Turkey’s
unity."

The Turkish government also drew the ire of opposition parties
for taking a reconciliatory path to try to end fighting against an
autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebel group. A group of rebels crossed into
Turkey from northern Iraq his week and televised celebrations by
local Kurds as their convoy traveled in the Kurdish-dominated region
angered many Turkish nationalists.

"I hope that more will come and that, God willing, this problem will
finally be removed from Turkey’s agenda," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said on Wednesday of the arrival of the 34 Kurds, including
eight in guerrilla outfits.