ARMENIA UNWILLING TO STABILIZE REGION – TURKISH EXPERT
Aliyah Fridman

news.az
Feb 10 2010
Azerbaijan

News.Az interviews Cem Oguz, head of Turkey’s International Centre
for Strategic Studies.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan proposed the Caucasus
Stability and Cooperation Platform soon after the August war between
Georgia and Russia, but not much has been said about this recently.

This is really a very good idea. Being well aware of the developments
in this region, I have always supported such initiatives. Yet, I do
not think the idea is realistic in the current conditions and with
Armenia’s current approach to this issue. Turkey has done everything
possible to strengthen Armenia’s development and cooperation in
the region. But the signals we receive from Armenia today show that
the leadership of this country has neither the will nor the desire
for this.

Will the platform remain just an idea?

Regardless of how attractive this idea might seem, I do not think it
will be implemented.

You mentioned that the problem lies with Armenia. What would be the
right conditions for the creation of such a platform?

First of all, Armenia should normalize relations with Turkey and
Azerbaijan. Turkish policy was initially based on the postulate
that closing borders with Armenia was connected with its territorial
claims on Turkey and Azerbaijan. The provisions we set Armenia were
the following: they must disavow these territorial claims and withdraw
troops from Azerbaijani land.

Are changes in Turkey’s approach to the conflict settlement possible?

As Zbigniew Brzezinski says, foreign policy is like flying a jet as
radical manoeuvres are impossible in both cases. In this case Turkey’s
foreign policy will be unable to take radical steps. Relations with
Armenia will not move on unless these two provisions are fulfilled,
unfortunately.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress