TURKEY IS MORE ACTIVE THAN MINSK GROUP
Victoria Abrahamyan

A1Plus.am
15/01/10

Hanrapetutyun (Republic) Party Chairman Aram Sargsyan sees a linkage
between Armenian-Turkish relations and Karabakh conflict and claims
that the first is the logical consequence of the second.

He presented his stance on the issues during an interview with A1+.

-Mr. Sargsyan, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced in
Yerevan yesterday that the two processes are in no way linked and all
attempts to link these two issues are wrong. What’s your opinion of
Lavrov’s statement?

-First of all, let me note that Lavrov reiterated Russian Premier
Vladimir Putin’s words said two days ago. Russian authorities
would strange if they said the two issues were to be resolved in a
single package. On the other hand, both Putin and Lavrov state that
Russia has its key participation in the settlement of the two issues
under question. They also underline the role of Turkey which is very
dangerous in the sense that the OSCE Minsk group is in charge of the
Karabakh conflict resolution and no responsibility is laid on any
separate country. This is an ostrich policy. They seem to ignore the
interrelation of the two processes and their sequence.

Armenian-Turkish relations are already documented in the Protocols,
now they have come to the Karabakh conflict. Both Russia and Turkey
seek to see a document signed on the settlement, too.

– Russian Foreign Minister yesterday said that Russia expects a
serious breakthrough in the Karabakh issue in 2010. Do you think
it realistic?

-I am confident that all issues connected with Armenian-Turkish
relations will be settled after the Karabakh conflict is resolved.

Armenian-Turkish relations are resulted by the Karabakh conflict
but Armenian authorities lack required resources to sit at the same
negotiating table with Turkey. The authorities must first resolve the
Karabakh conflict. They started negotiations with Turkey as they faced
a problem of legitimacy and democracy inside Armenia. The decision
made Turkey get engaged in the negotiations more actively than the
Minsk group. History has shown that Armenia loses each time Russia
and Turkey better their relations and deepen partnership. Armenian
authorities are to blame for their short-sighted football policy.

Turkey’s engagement in the negotiations complicates the process of
the Karabakh conflict settlement. I don’t exclude that the USA and
Russia might take measures to suppress Turkey’s appetite without
paying attention to Armenian leadership. They will do it out of their
own interests.

– The Constitutional Court of Armenian approved of the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols finding them constitutional. But as
Republican Spokesman Edward Sharmazanov says the National Assembly is
not going to ratify the Protocols and waits for Turkey’s steps. What’s
there behind the latency?

– Armenia has become an unpredictable country and I don’t rule
out that the National Assembly might start discussing the Protocols
tomorrow. It depends on foreign developments.

– And what is the opposition going to do? You only speak of the
authorities’ mistakes. What is the Armenian National Congress going
to do? Is the Congress satisfied with the authorities’ policy?

– Surely not. I consider both Armenia and Karabakh to be my
homeland. We are sorry for each trivial defeat and we shall express
our sorrow by political events including rallies and mass meetings.

Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan has expressed a distinct
stance on the Karabakh issue. The Congress will admit a settlement
stemming from the interests of Karabakh people. If Karabakh people
are displeased with the settlement presented by Serzh Sargsyan we
shall undoubtedly back Karabakh people as we did in 1988.

– During the last really of the Armenian National Congress (HAK)
Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan said that the next rally
will be held on March 1, 2010. Doesn’t HAK foresee mass meetings by
March 1?

– Given the recent developments I see a need for an earlier
meeting. March 1 rally is fixed irrespective of all political
developments but I don’t exclude earlier rallies. Presidents Serzh
Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev are expected to meet in the near future
and I think we shall witness major events that will force people to
go to the street. I am sure that public activeness will give rise to
extraordinary presidential elections in Armenia.

– When do you anticipate extraordinary presidential elections
in Armenia?

– I cannot fix an exact date. The earlier, the better.