TURKEY’S FOREIGN MINISTER: 20% AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORY IS OCCUPIED, THAT IS WHY TURKEY CHANGED ITS ATTITUDE TO PROTOCOLS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 3, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Turkey tries to establish
good-neighborly relations with all its neighbors creating a new
policy in the South Caucasus under the motto "zero problems with
the neighbors." According to the report of the Forum of Armenian
Associations of Europe (FAAE), Turkish Foreign Minister A. Davutoglu
declared this after his report under the title New World Geopolitics:
What Turkey Introduces to the Spheres of World Peace and Security as
a UN Security Council member given on January 29 at London Institute
for International Studies.

He mentioned that there are cold wars in the South Caucasus, there is
a need to work actively in that direction, and Turkey assumes that
role. Turkey as a UN Security Council member assumes the task of
improving its relations with all neighbors, including Armenia. As to
the Armenian-Turkish relations, the Turkish Foreign Minister declared
that serious work was done in the past years and the Armenian-Turkish
protocols were signed as a result of it.

The following question was voiced by the FAAE representative: "The
protocols signed between Armenia and Turkey had no precondition
though Armenia could and had a right to bring forward the issue of
recognizing the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Armenia did not do it.

Contrary to it Turkey not only delayed ratification of the protocols
but also itself brought forward a precondition, which even regarded
the third country, Azerbaijan, connected with the Nagorno Karabakh
problem. Moreover, referring to the decision of the Armenian
Constitutional Court, which only confirms the legality of ratification
of the protocols, Turkey launched the process of suspending the
ratification of the protocols though indeed CC’s decision cannot be
an obstacle to continue the process. Has Turkey changed its position
or it was not sincere from the very start?"

In response to this question A. Davutoglu said that ensuring security
and conducting a political dialogue with all three states in the South
Caucasus is important for Turkey. For that purpose Turkey has signed
the protocols submitting them for Turkish parliament’s approval.

"Today Turkey is blamed for deliberately delaying the approval of
the protocols. Indeed Turkey wishes to establish relations between
both Armenians and Turks througout the world and with Armenia,"
the Minister said adding: "However, we reject the idea of Armenian
Genocide." In his words, the Turks have never had anti-Armenian views
and have never taken anti-Armenian measures.

As to preconditions, A. Davutoglu declared that Turkey wishes
to achieve a fundamental solution to the issue (including the
Azerbaijan-Nagorno Karabakh conflict), for security to be established
in the whole region. "20% Azerbaijan’s territory is occupied, and
neither Turkey nor Azerbaijan agree to the preservation of the current
situation, that is why Turkey changed its attitude to the protocols.

In spite of it the protocols can be signed if the above mentioned
problem is solved. Turkey does not lose its hope in that direction,"
the Turkish Foreign Minister said.