EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF RUSSIAN NEWSPAPER: TURKEY MAY FURTHER LEAVE BORDERS CLOSED
Today.Az
15 December 2009
Day.Az interview with editor-in-chief of Russia-based Konservator
newspaper Rustam Arifjan.
Day.Az: Who do you assess outcomes of Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Washington and his statement that only
deoccupation of Azerbaijan’s seven regions can aid Turkey-Armenia
rapprochement and opening of borders?
Rustam Arifjan: A large tangle of problems is involved in this
respect. It is important that the preconditions that the Turkish prime
minister reiterated during the U.S. trip as an official position of
not only Azerbaijan. Turkish prime minister has announced during the
whole course of the year that it is impossible to reopen Armenia-Turkey
borders without a progress in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Erdogan voiced these terms in Washington as Turkey’s requirements.
Turkey raised withdrawal of alleged "genocide" from the agenda and
at the same time set progress in resolving the Karabakh conflict as
a term. This is a good message to Azerbaijan. It is not known what
Erdogan talked with Obama in private. But he stated it very clearly
and unambiguously while addressing the American students.
Regarding Obama’s position, it should be noted that the United States
is probably one of the states most interested in opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border. By and large, opening of this border gives
no benefit to Turkey from political viewpoint. The border closed
since early 1990s did no harm to the Turkish economy. Only Armenia
was affected. So, Turkey may further leave the border closed.
I think that in this context the U.S. Congress aid worth $ 8 million
to Nagorno-Karabakh should not cause much outrage and fear. Maybe this
is an attempt to sweeten the pill coming? Washington’s pressure on
Ankara has reached its limit. Erdogan reiterated his position which
means more pressure at this point it is impossible. The ratification
of the protocols will take much to be ratified as Turkey has clearly
expressed its position. Americans will find other ways. Maybe, now
they will put pressure on Armenia.
In your opinion, what do the updated version of the Madrid principles,
which the OSCE Minsk Group submitted to the Azerbaijani side a few
days ago, imply?
The most important thing today in settlement process incorporated
in the updated version (diplomats often hide essence of documents
by beautiful words) is nothing rather than synchronization of the
process. Now the parties are like two cyclists who compete at a very
slow start to the race, afraid to pull ahead lest a false start.
Obviously, the Azerbaijani and the Armenian sides will have to make
some concessions although none of the sides admit it at present.
Because the uncompromising positions of the parties can boost current
status quo, or Azerbaijan would be forced to take unpopular actions
of non-diplomatic nature.
Do you share optimism of many experts and political scientists who
recently said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is expected to be fully
solved soon?
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will not be fully solved neither today
nor tomorrow. Simply further diplomatic steps will be taken. I returned
from Kazakhstan few days ago and witnessed there a lot of talks that
the country will take up the OSCE chairmanship in January.
This will be the first Muslim country, the first CIS member to take
up the post.
It is important for Azerbaijan to have good relations with Kazakhstan.
It is worth recalling that the Minsk Group does not exist by
itself, but under the OSCE authority. Therefore, taking advantage of
Kazakhstan’s OSCE chairmanship, it would be expedient for Azerbaijan
to urge the country to speed up the conflict resolution.
I simply do not believe in full settlement of the problem. It is
possible that regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh will be liberated.