NOW TURKEY NEEDS TO CONVINCE AZERBAIJAN

HULIQ
March 23 2010
SC

In a rare public revelation the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
said that it may be possible to return some of the territories around
the disputed Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan, mainly populated by
Armenians, in return for self-determination right for the region and
a land corridor between Amenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

Armenian president Sargsyan told Syria’s Al Watan newspaper the
condition under which his country is ready to return some of
the territories to Azerbaijan to conclude the long running peace
negotiations between the two countries for the final status of Nagorno
Karabakh. Sargsyan is in the middle of an official visit to Syria.

The problem is that Azerbaijan keeps using the war-like rhetoric as
the country’s president last Saturday once again announced that his
country will never accept the right of self-determination of the people
of Nagorno Karabakh. Actually, they kind of accept it, but under their
own terms. For example, they say that right of self-determination
will be only exercised under Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
and that the Azerbaijani Army will protect the people of Nagorno
Karabakh. Never mind the fact that the Armenian population of Nagorno
Karabakh was fighiting against the army of Azerbaijan after the break
up of the Soviet Union to defend it’s human rights. Another fact is
that self-determination is self determination and the people who will
vote under the updated Madrid principles (put forward by USA, France
and Russia as a way to solve the problem calling for an expression
of will in Nagorno Karabakh with the results having a binding power)
will have the right to decide if they want to live with Azerbaijan
where the president can be reelected without limitations or in a
democracy, which they have built int the past 20 years.

In the meanwhile gas deals and other regional deals having major impact
on the European continent are waiting due to the problem. In fact
Turkey has said that the gas deal with Azerbaijan has stumbled because
of the talks with Armenia. The much heraled Nabucco project, which
was design to bring natural gas from Central Asia through Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Turkey to Europe and would provide an alternative route
bypassing Russia, are now suspended because of political reasons. Just
two hours ago Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz announced the
suspension of talks, Voice of Russia Reports.

The political reasons are the Turkey’s rapprochement with Armenia.

Turkey and Azerbaijan share many cultural and ethnic ties and
Azerbaijan is jealous with Turkey’s rapprochement with Christian
Armenia. This is where Turkey may come to help his little brother.

The announcement by the president of Armenia about the readiness to
returning the surrounding regions of Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan
is a bold move and a serious step toward final resolution and peace.

However, when Azerbaijan does not respond adequately to that
announcement Turkey may want to put more effort with Azerbaijan
convincing the leadership of this tiny Caspian oil rich country
that this is the time to understand the real dynamic and show real
leadership leading the region to peace.

Turkey in the recent years always said it wanted to be part of the
conflict solution between Azerbaijan and Armenia by mediating.

However, Armenia has refused the Turkish mediation because Turkey
has declared itself a conflict side by closing its border with Armenia.

Now Turkey has a chance to play a major role and follow its media,
which keeps telling Azerbaijan to give up Nagorno Karabakh as it has
lost it forever.