news.az, Azerbaijan
March 6 2010
Obama administration adopts different approach, which clearly failed – analyst
Sat 06 March 2010 | 05:06 GMT Text size:
Dr. Svante E. Cornell News.Az interviews Dr. Svante E. Cornell,
Research Director of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute.
How would you comment the decision of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
of the House of Representatives on `Armenian genocide’?
It is an unfortunate decision, although it was predictable. It is not
the first time it happens on the level of the Committee.
Interestingly, the vote was very close, which suggest great opposition
to the politicization of history and an understanding of the dangers
for US national interests of this largely symbolic US move.
Will this decision harm US-Turkish relations?
Of course. But the main damage would be if the full House of
Representatives votes in the same way, which is not certain.
Doesn’t it mean the end of ratification of Turkish-Armenian protocols
and normalization of relations between the two countries?
It will be extremely difficult to envisage the normalization of
Turkish-Armenian relations under these conditions, and it is one
further example of how the U.S. Government, including the Obama
administration as well as Congress, have mismanaged this issue from
the start.
Could it be any negative impact on the Karabakh process after the
decision of US congressmen?
The impact will primarily be on Turkey and Turkey’s relations with the
US and with Armenia. That, in turn, affect Azerbaijan and the Karabakh
conflict. However, it is important for Azerbaijan not to be
excessively involved in the issue. This is not Azerbaijan’s fight.
Is Turkey strong enough to overcome a pressure from US on the
`Genocide’ issue and border problem with Armenia?
American pressure, in the current Turkish domestic environment, risks
being extremely counter-productive. If American leaders believe the
threat of genocide recognition would make Turkey more likely to open
the border with Armenia, they are likely making a huge mistake. It
would make it almost impossible for a Turkish politician to support
the opening of the Armenian border, since it would be seen as giving
in to undue and unjust pressure from the United States.
Turkish authorities say that they never open border with Armenia after
withdrawal Armenian troops from Azeri land. Do you believe that US
will finally take into account this position?
US diplomats not long ago understood this issue, and followed a
constructive policy pushing in parallel for the Turkish-Armenian and
Armenian-Azerbaijani reconciliation processes. Unfortunately, the
Obama administration adopted a different approach, which has clearly
failed. It is to be hoped that a more realistic approach gains ground
in the U.S. Government.
Dr. Svante E. Cornell is Research Director of the Central
Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program Joint Center and a
co-founder of the Institute for Security and Development Policy.
Aliyah Fridman
News.Az