CAN TURKEY BECOME FRANCE OR GERMANY?
Naira Hayrumyan

Lragir.am
15/01/10

After the statement of the Russian premier Vladimir Putin that the
Armenian and Turkish process and the Karabakh issue should not be
linked, opinions that the Turkish premier Erdogan was called to Moscow
to strengthen the reins of their ambitions were heard. Despite the
fact that the matter was the conclusion of major economic transactions
between Russia and Turkey, Erdogan’s visit to Moscow is seen as bad
for Ankara, as it put a barrier in front of its political ambitions.

The fact that the Turkish ambitions increased is mentioned by many
analysts. And not without grounds. The words of the Turkish foreign
minister Ahmet Davutoglu are enough to be recalled, who in London’s
King’s Collage stated, "We want to form a region where a car leaving
from Baku will pass through Karabakh, Yerevan and Nakhidjevan and
will arrive in Kars". He said Turkey signed 51 deals with Syria and
48 with Iran and the Turkish planes use the Batumi airport in Georgia
as a terminal for internal lines.

The Turkish premier himself, who is the father of the Turkish new
ambitions, during a regular meeting with Turkish ambassadors in Ankara,
called on them to defend the interests of the country and not to
be afraid of anything. "Turkey today is no longer the country of 20
years ago. It is country developing at a high speed".

The appeal to "fear nothing" is very characteristic of Turkish
diplomacy. It has always been based on the fact of taking steps beyond
the "civilized diplomacy". Turkish diplomacy has never been shy to
openly declare its interests, it has never tried to look tolerant,
it has never put the difference in its methods resorting to deceit,
lies, and treachery. But the most important is the Turkish diplomacy
has never hidden its expansionist ambitions. And if several decades
ago, its expansionism had a territorial character, Turkey needed a
specific land, so now the post-industrial Turkey realized that it was
not so much in the area, as in the establishment of political control.

Western countries have long turned to this type of neo-colonialism,
abandoning their former colonies, but in advance "sticking pegs" in
the policies of these countries. Now here Turkey is trying to do the
same in the South Caucasus region. The words of Minister Davutoglu are
a proof, and if at first glance it may seem that he says about open
borders, regional cooperation and other positive things, just with
a second look, the second question occurs to us – why should this
take place under the protectorate of Turkey and at its request? Has
Turkey managed to prove that it will bring peace, equality, prosperity
and stability of the region? As it proved France and Germany, which
assumed the responsibility to unite Europe in the name of a better
life and did it. Is Turkey capable of it? All doubt this very much,
especially the Armenians. Moreover, expansionist sentiment in Turkey
continues to grow.

The author of an article in the Turkish ‘Hurriyet’ Laure Marchand
stresses that everything that is associated with the Ottoman past
of Turkey keeps increasing its popularity. Visible proof of "Ottoman
insanity", in his opinion, is the ever-increasing stream of visitors
to the museum dedicated to the taking of Constantinople by the Turks
in 1453, inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Erdogan.

How will the world living under the laws of "civilized diplomacy"
respond to the new Turkish expansionism? The first wave of expansionism
ended with the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, the second
and third dams are faced with the First and Second World Wars which
cut a wave of ambition, but not destroyed the country. In many ways,
thanks to cunning and arrogance of the Turkish diplomacy.

Will Turkey wriggle out this time too? Or mellow world will prefer
to split the country and thus break the Turkish ambitions.