TURKEY MAY USE STRAINED POLITICAL SITUATION WITHIN COUNTRY TO PROTRACT RATIFICATION OF ARMENIA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS
Noyan Tapan
Feb 23, 2010
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Turkey may use the strained
political situation within the country as a reason for protracting
the ratification of Armenia-Turkey protocols. Ruben Safrastian, a
Turkologist, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the
RA National Academy of Sciences, said this during the February 23
meeting with reporters. At the same time he did not rule out some
mitigation of the external pressure being put on Turkey regarding
the Armenian-Turkish normalization.
In the words of R. Safrastian, the internal political situation in
Turkey has become strained to the point of war: Kemalist and Islamist
groupings are struggling against each other. However, a military
coup in Turkey is unlikely as the local forces are aware that a coup
may claim many lives. R. Safrastian expressed an opinion that there
is no force in Turkey which can defeat the Justice and Development
Party (AKP) and come to power in the coming years. If, nevertheless,
a military coup takes place and the Kemalists come to power, R.
Safrastian does not believe that they will continue the current
political policy of Turkey. According to him, the whole process
related to Armenia-Turkey protocols will immediately stop.
"Judging from publications in the Turkish press, one can come to
the conclusion that although Turkey has chosen a policy of delay, a
group of intellectuals has formed in that country, who believe that
the relations with Armenia should be normalized. Of course, they do
not think that Turkey should stop its policy of genocide denial and
they also declare that Turkey should continue defending Azerbaijan’s
interests," R. Safrastian noted. According to him, today the majority
of Turkish society and political forces are continuing the traditional
policy of Turkey: no relations should be established with Armenia
until Armenia makes unilateral concessions in the Karabakh issue and
gives up the Armenian Genocide’s international recognition.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
