POLITICAL SCIENTIST STEPAN GRIGORIAN: ARMENIA SHOULD NORMALIZE ITS RELATIONS WITH TURKEY WITHOUT THIRD COUNTRY’S MEDIATION

Noyan Tapan
March 9, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia should normalize its relations
with Turkey through a dialogue, without a third country’s mediation.

Head of the Analytical Center on Globalization and Regional
Cooperation, political scientist Stepan Grigorian expressed such an
opinion at a March 9 press conference. "We do not need to solve our
problems with Turkey with the help of a third state as that process
is used, speculated by other countries for the purpose of solving
their own problems. They press Turkey to extort concessions, and it
is not clear what we gain from it," he said.

According to the political scientist, the process of adoption of the
resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by U.S.

Congress recurs almost every year, which further complicates Armenia’s
condition in the region. "Having expectations from someone we once
more repeat the same mistake. The process of resolution’s adoption
in Congress is very dangerous as it is politicized and is obviously
linked with the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols," S.

Grigorian said adding that the issue of recognition of the Genocide
should be connected with morality, restoration of justice and not
with today’s political processes.

In political scientist’s opinion, reconciliation and political
issues should be separated in the process of normalization of the
Armenia-Turkey relations. "Reconciliation is a problem coming from
history that can last for dozens of years. It should be separated
from everyday concrete political measures," S. Grigorian said.

He also said that Armenia should ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols
without waiting for Turkey’s steps. "We should show the world that we
are a predictable, reliable partner," S. Grigorian said. In his words,
Armenia delaying the process of ratification of the protocols helps
Turkey to protect itself from other countries’ pressures.