CHP SHOULD SUPPORT DTP’S DERSIM SUGGESTION

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 19 2009
Turkey

The CHP will have to pass an important test changing back Tunceli’s
name to its former name Dersim.

Here is a great opportunity for Onur Oymen to repair what he broke
and get back votes he lost to the AKP.

Opposing DTP’s legislation proposal would mean shooting himself in
the foot.

Rejecting DTP’s proposal would add insults to injury and mean an
immense loss of prestige.

A change made in 1935 has deep meaning for the inhabitants of Tunceli.

Renaming it with its former name Dersim would create great relaxation
whereby the message given is very important.

This would mean that the Turkish Republic would show the courage to
confront its past mistakes which would leave deeper traces than any
other political decision.

The AKP seems to have noticed this. The prime minister’s style of
answering questions asked in Rome was a sign of him supporting the
DTP legislation proposal regarding the Kurdish Initiative.

Let’s see how the CHP will proceed.

Does Baku postpone Turkish-Armenian protocol?

The protocol between Turkey and Armenia regarding the opening of
borders has not been forgotten but seems to be frozen for the time
being.

The key for the protocol passing Parliament is in Aliyev’s pocket.

When Baku and Yerevan come to a consensus in respect to an end to the
Armenian occupation of seven regions and Aliyev is pleased as to give
green light, and then Parliament will approve the protocol.

But now the question is as to whether the Azerbaijani really wants
a solution or not.

Many have doubts in this respect. It is being questioned whether the
Azerbaijani in the first place want a "reasonable" solution for the
retreat of the Armenians from the seven regions rather than a final
solution to Karabakh.

Until last year Azerbaijani authorities from behind closed doors in
Baku answered this question always the same way:

"… Why should we hurry? We are getting richer by the day. And as
we become richer our power increases. But the Armenians become weaker.

And especially if the border to Turkey remains closed they will be
even weaker. That is why we are not in a hurry. We will wait. They
will fall down like a ripe apple from a tree."

This attitude lasted until August 2008 when Russia placed troops in
Georgia. This also scared the Azerbaijanis. This proved that Russia
has set weight on the region and would not hesitate to interfere
if necessary.

In other words, the reality that Armenian’s prime ally Russia would
"not let the Armenians fall into the lap of the Azerbaijani when ripe
like an apple" is what obviously scared Baku.

These days we don’t really know from which direction the winds blow.

The Azerbaijani on one side show they look for a solution but on the
other side they seem not to hesitate to speak the last word. Steps
not taken increase these doubts.

Within this frame, since there is no result obtained in these seven
regions, the protocol between Turkey and Armenia can’t come before
Parliament. If the Azerbaijanis continue with their attitude from
before 2008 we will have to wait for many years.