KARABAKH CONFLICT INCLUDED INTO PROTOCOLS
news.az
1
Feb 22 2010
Azerbaijan
Faruk Logoglu "Armenian lobby and their political supporters intensify
pressure on the Congress."
"In case the Turkish-Armenian protocols enter a deadlock, the processes
in the United States will continue in two directions", former Turkish
ambassador in the United States Faruk Logoglu told in his interview
with Hurriyyet newspaper.
He said the first direction is Obama’s speech on April 24: "This speech
is of a great importance. However, Obama will hardly use the notion of
‘genocide’ as it may endanger the relations with Turkey.
According to Logoglu, the second direction is the US Congress. He
noted that the Armenian lobby and their political supporters intensify
pressure on the Congress for adoption of a bill on recognition of the
mythical "Armenian genocide". The diplomat believes that the chances of
Armenian supporters are high this time because the so-called "Armenian
rapprochement" has entered a deadlock: "Due to the weakened positions
of the Jewish lobby in the United States, there is no effect force
that can resist the adoption of this bill. The United States do not
pay special attention to the fact that in case the bill is adopted,
it may affect the US-Turkish relations. Turkey may close the NATO base
in Injirlik as a protest. However, the adoption of the bill will not
create hindrances for arms trading, in particular, the trade relations
between these two countries".
The Turkish diplomat believes that the Armenians will not stop on
the adoption of the bill on "genocide" in the Congress because the
principles fixed in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence
of Armenia are not limited with the recognition of "genocide". "It
will then be the time of territorial claims, demands for material
compensation and other claims that Armenians will put to Turkey".
Lagoglu also touched upon the links between the Turkish-Armenian
relations and the Karabakh conflict. He considers that this issue is
one of the important moments that were not fixed in the protocols:
"The Karabakh conflict should have been included into the protocols.
The Turkish authorities believed to the US and Russia’s promises,
which was a great mistake. It is further necessary to lay a priority
on the Karabakh conflict and force US to settle this conflict".