RATIFICATION OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN PROTOCOLS DEPENDS ON KARABKH CONFLICT, EXPERT
Namik Guseynov
news.az
Jan 11 2010
Azerbaijan
News.Az interviews Amur Hajiyev, expert of Institute of Middle East
of Russia.
How do you assess Turkey’s peacekeeping mission held recently in
the Caucasus?
Turkey has recently initiated a more independent, comprehensive and
responsible external policy based on Ataturk’s principle of peace
in the country, peace in the world. This policy has been named the
zero problems with neighbors. It is aimed at creating the so-called
peace belt around. Turkey’s peaceful initiatives in the Caucasus
should be viewed considering this new policy that is acquiring
sharper contours every year. The normalization of relations with
Armenia is a reflection of this external policy. At the same time,
Turkey states its regional responsibility that does not allow it
acting within the framework of pragmatic interests. This affects its
balanced and cautious actions aimed at preventing irreparable damage to
traditional friendly relations in the region. This explains why Ankara
binds normalization of relations with Yerevan to the resolution of
the Karabakh conflict. The current Turkish leadership considers that
this problem is a great obstacle on the way to political stability,
economic development and regional cooperation in the Caucasus.
Do you consider that Turkey which has problems with Armenia may
promote effective normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations?
In the early 90’s the Turkish government wanted to be a neutral
mediator in normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Yet
in the result of the strong pressure of the Turkish public opinion,
the country leadership was obliged to disavow the mediation role in
the Karabakh conflict. Nevertheless, Turkey has spared no effort to
settle the Karabakh conflict within the framework of UN, OSCE, BSEC and
NATO. Turkey’s position in normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
relations is a sample of its conduct in appearance of similar problems
in other Turkic states. We should not forget that Turkey maintains
fraternal relations and strategic alliance with Azerbaijan. But it does
not hinder the Turkish government to assist to the Armenian-Azerbaijani
rapprochement by political means within an expanded format of
negotiations and raise the problem before the world community.
Do you believe in the soonest ratification of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols on normalization of bilateral relations by the Turkish
parliament?
It depends on the soonest acceptance of Turkey’s provision to settle
the Karabakh conflict peacefully by Armenia. This provision was
set to the Yerevan leadership as a term for normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations.
Can US President Obama recognize "Armenian genocide" thus spoiling
strategic relations with Turkey in April?
The strengthening of the US positions in the Middle East is one of
the main elements of the US global strategy. The US government views
Turkey as the key geopolitical center of Eurasia able to contribute to
attainment of US goals in the region. Turkey’s internal political and
geostrategic capacities help view it as a bridge between the West and
the Islamiv world. Turkey has been the US strategic ally throughout
decades. Turkey’s features and their importance for the United States
will not allow working administration spoiling relations with the
Turkish government especially because Obama has already found the
way out calling the 1915 events a "great disaster".
Do you think the idea of creation of the Caucasus Stability and
Cooperation Platform proposed by the Turkish Premier is realistic?
The Turkish government considers that this project can become a
platform for cooperation that will finally promote stability in the
region. This initiative received a positive reaction of the Russian
leadership in the result of the balanced position of Turkey during
the Russian-Georgian conflict in August 2008. Yet the implementation
of this project is almost impossible due to the strained relations
between the proposed candidates for participation in the platform.
Moreover, there are serious differences on composition and priorities
of platforms. Thus, Russia insists on including Abkhazia and South
Ossetia which does not satisfy Georgia that, in turn, proposed to
include the United States into the Caucasus Platform member-states. As
for priorities, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan consider the principle
of the territorial integrity of states to be the top one. Russia
views the platform as an opportunity to implement and conduct a closer
dialogue that would promote the settlement of economic, transport and
energy problems of the region. Such an initiative has already been
promoted by Turkey in 2000 under the name of the Caucasus stability
pact. Yet it failed due to insufficient support. We should also not
forget the Black Sea Economic Cooperation that is not functioning
in full.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress