R. SAFRASTYAN SAYS TURKEY MAY USE THE INNER-POLITICAL STRAINED SITUATION AS AN EXCUSE FOR DRAGGING OUT THE RATIFICATION PROCESS OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

91401/lang/en
2010-02-23

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS: Turkey may use its inner-political
strained situation as an excuse for dragging out the ratification
process of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, Director of the Oriental
Studies Institute of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences Ruben
Safrastyan said today at a meeting with journalists. According to him,
the inner-political situation has strained in Turkey to the extent of
war situation. The Kemal and Islam-inclined groups fight against each
other. "Armenia has appeared in the center of this inner fight. It is
obvious that this strained situation can influence on the regulation
process of Armenian-Turkish relations," R. Safrastyan said.

He is of the opinion that a military revolution in Turkey is less
possible noting that there will be victims of a great number, and the
local forces do not want that. Taking into consideration all that,
soldiers are still kept away from politics. R. Safrastyan noted that
the officer staff in the Turkish armed forces is not homogeneous;
there are many people of different political viewpoints and with
religious education.

Referring to the pressures exerted on Turkey by international
institutions for the ratification of the protocols, R. Safrastyan
did not exclude their weakening to some degree."Today Turkey is
in inner-political strained situation. In this circumstance it is
difficult to make forecasts for the further process. I think in
the current stage it is not excluded that the pressure on Turkey by
international institutions will be smoothened," he said.

According to R. Safrastyan, nevertheless, the Armenian-Turkish process
continues to present importance for international institutions and
big states. There is a group of intellectuals in Turkey, which stands
up for the regulation of relations with Armenia, as well as for the
continuation of the policy directed toward distorting the fact of
the Armenian Genocide.