TURKISH MP: WE WILL NOT RATIFY PROTOCOLS AND OPEN BORDERS WITH ARMENIA UNTIL NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS FINALLY RESOLVED

Today
59461.html
Jan 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Vahit Erdem, head of Turkey’s delegation to
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, member of Turkish parliament from
the ruling AK party and former NATO PA deputy chairman.

In your opinion, are Turkey-Armenia protocols likely to be ratified
and the borders between the two countries to be opened this year?

Turkish leaders have reiterated on many occasions that Turkey-Armenia
relations cannot be established till the Karabakh conflict is resolved
within Azerbaijan’s interests. Turkey will do nothing contrary to
Azerbaijan’s interests in order to establish relations with Armenia.

Turkey is very sensitive to the issues related to Azerbaijan. The
Turkish nation is committed to protecting Azerbaijan’s interests.

On the other hand, there is an anger at Armenians’ actions against
Turks in the Turkish society. These two aspects will not allow Turkey
to pass a decision to detriment of Azerbaijan’s interests.

The protocols need to ratified by the parliament first so that they
can be implemented. But this is impossible in near future. Turkish
public opinion is seriously pressing on the parliament in this matter.

The Turkish people are against these protocols. The protocols are
result of the regional situation and international pressure. Turkish
parliamentarians elected by the people will not act against will of
the people. If they do, they will be compelled to resign. We will not
ratify the protocols and open borders with Armenia until the Karabakh
conflict is finally solved.

Turkish President Gul recently stated that "something is being cooked
in the kitchen" referring to relations with Armenia. In your opinion,
what did he mean?

I do not know details of this process. But I can say for sure that
the food which is being prepared in the kitchen will not poison the
relations between the Turkic peoples. Nothing against Azerbaijan will
be done during any backroom negotiations either. Any decision made by
Turkey will be in line with Azerbaijan’s interests. The Turkish people
constantly press on the government to engage in activities to ensure
return of the Azerbaijan occupied territories. The government is making
every effort to do so. Today, we are more interested in a just solution
to the Karabakh problem, rather than establishment of relations with
Armenia. Not Armenia, but Azerbaijan is more important for us.

How do you assess the OSCE Minsk Group efforts to resolve the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

The OSCE Minsk Group is actually a dead body. It has not made any
progress in resolving the Karabakh conflict for many years of its
activity. Turkey wants to revive activities of the Minsk Group. In
fact, Turkey’s consent to discuss the protocols also aimed to draw
world attention to the Karabakh problem. Turkey recalled all including
the Minsk Group member countries that there is Karabakh conflict in
the South Caucasus and development in the region impossible without
its solution.

The South Caucasus is a priority for the West. The West was closely
involved with the Abkhaz and South Ossetian problems while ignoring
the Karabakh conflict. But Turkey drew attention to this problem. The
West decided to use Turkey’s influence to end Russian influence on
Armenia and involve it to its South Caucasus projects. But all have
to reckon with Turkey’s opinion in this matter. Turkey explained the
West that if it wants Armenia to develop and get actively involved
in the processes in the South Caucasus, it must contribute to solving
the Karabakh problem.

Conflicts in the South Caucasus hamper the region’s integration into
the NATO. What can the Alliance do to solve these conflicts?

NATO is currently engaged in solving conflicts in Afghanistan and
Iraq. Simultaneously, the Alliance is involved in solving a number
of local conflicts. That is why NATO does not want to interfere in
another conflict. The Alliance’s current policy is to involve the
South Caucasus into the transatlantic area. Georgia was NATO’s first
objective. But the Alliance faced a serious challenge here in the face
of Russia. August events in 2008, the problems associated with South
Ossetia and Abkhazia forced NATO to take a step back. Alliance did
not want engage in an open conflict with Russia in this region. But
integration of South Caucasus into NATO is one of the major long-term
political lines of the Alliance.

The region is located in the middle of Russia and Iran, two NATO
opponents. In the meantime, the South Caucasus is the main entrance
to Central Asia for NATO. Resolving the South Caucasus conflicts is
important for military security of the region on one hand and for
energy security on the other.

Energy resources of the Caspian Sea are exported to the western market
via the South Caucasus and Turkey. All these factors indicate that
there is no other way for Armenia’s future, than to integrate into
the West. And the country’s only way to the West lies through Turkey.

Armenia’s long-term conflict situation with Turkey which is the only
way to the Western world for Armenia and an important NATO member in
the region, may end up very sad for the country. Many do not understand
that it Armenia, unlike some pro-Armenian circles in the West. That
is why they try to end Armenia’s dependence on Russian.

NATO refers to the three South Caucasus countries with a single
prism and sees the future of the region in peaceful coexistence and
development of all three states.

NATO has declared fight against international terrorism a top
priority of its activities. It’s no secret that Nagorno-Karabakh is
a haven for terrorists. The Azerbaijani ]media and certain political
circles have reiterated many times that PKK has deployed bases in
Nagorno-Karabakh …

After September 11, NATO and the West focused its attention on the
fight against terrorism. Western countries are well aware that peace
and tranquility in the world is impossible amid wide-spread terrorism.

As a result of the long struggle by Turkey, the United States and
European countries recognized the PKK as a terrorist organization
and the West has created an opportunity for Turkey to eliminate PKK
bases in northern Iraq. Today, Northern Iraq is being cleared from
the PKK and their transition to the South Caucasus is undesirable.

We can not accept establishment of the PKK bases in Nagorno-Karabakh.

NATO will certainly oppose this. We have informed the Alliance about
establishment of PKK bases in Armenia and Karabakh. But we will not
be limited to this. Mere political statements cannot yield result.

Armenia will certainly refute this information. We need to have
reliable intelligence data. As soon as we receive such data, we
can demand NATO and Western countries to prevent dangers of PKK’s
transition to the South Caucasus.

One of Turkey’s main goals is to prevent PKK’s expansion. Before
planing a military operation against the PKK and other terrorist groups
in Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey needs to think about a fight against this
with help of the international political pressure.

Information on presence of PKK bases in Karabakh are important both for
Turkey and Azerbaijan. We can use this fact in a political campaign
against Armenia and Karabakh separatist regime. There is a need to
socialize this issue and bring to the attention of the international
community that Karabakh is a target not only for the Armenian, but
also PKK terrorists.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress