Hurriyet Daily News , Turkey
March 27 2010
Turkey, Armenia at political deadlock on protocols
Saturday, March 27, 2010
DÃ-NDÃ` SARIIÅ?IK
ANKARA ‘ Hürriyet Daily News
Turkish and Armenian parliaments have yet to ratify the normalization
protocols signed last October. ‘The normalization process between
Turkey and Armenia has turned into a game of chess. Each side waits
for next move to develop new tactics,’ a high-ranking AKP official
says. Nonetheless, there is hope in the air for social projects
between the two neighbors
Despite deadlock on the political aspects of the normalization process
between Armenia and Turkey, there are glimmers of hope for a
breakthrough in social relations between the two, a Turkish government
spokesman said Friday.
The political path to normalization seems to have suffered a reverse
as both parliaments have yet to ratify the protocols signed last
October. At the same time, Armenian diaspora networks have mounted
lobbying efforts to achieve international recognition for Armenian
`genocide’ claims, thereby encouraging Turkish nationalists at home to
ask for a withdrawal of the protocols.
Despite their contradicting political views, however, all have praised
a governmental initiative to open for worship an Armenian church in
Van that had become a museum and to provide education for the children
of undocumented Armenian workers in Turkey. `Both worship and
education are basic human rights,’ Turkish Parliamentary Foreign
Affairs Committee Chairman Murat Mercan said in a Friday interview
with the Daily News.
`[However,] the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia has
turned into a game of chess. Each side is waiting for the next move so
as to develop new tactics,’ a source close to Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip ErdoÄ?an said on condition of anonymity to the Hürriyet Daily
News and Economic Review on Friday.
No progress on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian
Constitutional Court’s qualified approval of the protocols and the
March 4 Armenian `genocide’ resolution from the U.S. Foreign Affairs
Committee have made it difficult for Turkey to ratify the protocols,
Mercan said.
`Of course, the protocols should be voted on in more positive
atmosphere [to avoid any negative result]. Whenever those problems are
resolved, we will able to ratify the protocols,’ Mercan said.
U.S. President Barack Obama is looking to increase pressure on Turkey
to ratify the protocols before April 24, when he extends his
condolences to Armenians on their day of mourning after avoiding the
word `genocide’ last year, according to Å?ükrü ElekdaÄ?, a veteran
diplomat and deputy for the main opposition Republican People’s Party,
or CHP.
`Washington failed to realize that Armenia’s Constitutional Court had
perverted the sense of the protocols. The government cannot take the
risk of a parliamentary vote as even the [ruling Justice and
Development Party] AKP is mixed,’ ElekdaÄ? told the Daily News on
Friday. `Regretfully, there is no way out and the process is at a
deadlock.’
The Armenian court’s reservations virtually ruled out three vital
articles since the country’s constitution demands land from eastern
Anatolia and Turkish recognition of its genocide claims.
The protocols, however, envisage the recognition of the existing
borders and the establishment of a joint historical committee to
investigate the 1915 events.
`The Turkish Parliament shouldn’t ratify the protocols that were made
ineffective by the Armenian court or ratify them with reservations,’
said Sedat Laçiner, director of the Ankara-based International
Strategic Research Organization, or USAK.
Noting that April 24 is not a deadline for Ankara, Mercan said: `We
are not looking for any specific date, but required conditions.
Regardless of speculations or anti-peace efforts by the other, we’re
working to keep alive the process in line with our principles.’
Nursuna Memecan, a deputy for the AKP and member of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, or PACE, criticized news reports
that have served to provoke hawks on both sides of the divide.
`Both sides have been too sensitive in this process. I think silence
is better than reports [that have provoked nationalists],’ Memecan
told the Daily News in a phone interview Friday.
`Both presidents took serious risks for their political career by
shaking hands in spite of harsh criticisms. They could have opted for
the status quo but dared to fix long-suffering ties for the sake of
regional peace and stability.’
Memecan said the genocide claims are being promoted by the diaspora,
not those in Armenia. `[Serge] Sarkisian is aware of how important
this normalization is for his country’s development,’ Memecan said.
The problem is multi-dimensional and complicated, Memecan said. `It is
too difficult to sort out at once in the face of aggregation of long
years. It is not only our bilateral problem; there are dimensions
related to Azerbaijan and Russia.’
Underlining the same view, Mercan said: `We are seeking a total and
comprehensive solution in the region. That’s the only way to secure
the stability.’
Turkey will develop new strategies in the event of changing scenarios,
Memecan said. `In line with new conditions, there will be plans B and
C.’
Seeking normalization via social projects
`Turkey is not who has to take all steps. They [Armenians] have to do
so, too. We are also introducing social projects to restore ties
between people while the political play is ongoing,’ Memecan said.
Establishing social and cultural ties between two communities will
ease worries and help for mutual trust, Memecan said. `New projects
will be initiated. We are even considering joint cheese-production in
Kars to show that there is no reason to be afraid of each other.’
ElekdaÄ?, meanwhile, said, `I see humanitarian concerns and back the
projects restoring social and cultural ties. [However,] diplomatic
realities and romantic aspirations shouldn’t be mixed up.’
Laçiner said, `These steps should have been taken earlier but opening
social channels are different than protocols.’