NO ONE DARED CUTTING STRINGS, THE BALL STAYED WITH OBAMA
MEHMET ALI BIRAND

Hurriyet
April 13 2010
Turkey

If you meet a journalist who pretends to know details about this summit
traffic don’t believe him. No one except a handful of delegates of
both countries knows anything for sure.

The following article consists of a bit of fortune telling, a bit of
guessing and a bit of summing up news leaking from here and there.

Please read it accordingly. You probably won’t read any other article
more sincere than this one.

If you’d witnessed the scene in which Erdogan and Sarkisyan entered
the hall to pose for a picture you’d be scared. Both leaders put
on such a long face and their body language was so negative that I
said to myself, "There won’t be any positive outcome resulting out of
this room." The delegation rushed out of this 90-minute meeting as if
escaping something bad. No explanation and no hopeful word or glance.

It is hard to understand what happened, for, both are more interested
in their internal politics.

We may easily say the following:

Neither Armenia nor Turkey can afford to throw the protocols into
the garbage can.

Turkey: Efforts will continue

You probably heard this formula a lot.

"We will continue efforts…" means that there is an important
misunderstanding and no solution has been found.

Turkish officials remind of the prime minister’s words, "We won’t give
up on our signature" and say that they are not considering canceling
the protocols.

Ankara of course wouldn’t want to cancel. For, these protocols are
Turkey’s lifesavers nowadays. As long as these protocols are alive
the vote in the U.S. Congress is postponed. And more importantly,
these protocols make it difficult for President Obama to pronounce
the word genocide in his speech on April 24.

Turkey walks a fine line.

On one side, it obeys Azerbaijan and in order to satisfy Baku it says
the borders remain closed until the Karabakh issue is resolved.

Meaning it attaches a precondition to the protocols according to
Armenia and the United States. On the other side, in order to manage
Obama it wants to get by with its approach of "these protocols are
our virtue."

It’s a little complicated.

To tell the truth, Tarzan is in a difficult position.

Armenia: We won’t accept preconditions

Armenians are also in a difficult position.

They did not obtain what they hoped for.

Prime Minister Erdogan has not changed his attitude.

Sarkisian also cannot come forth saying, "If that’s so, then I am
retrieving the protocols from parliament in order to cancel them."

Yerevan, just like Ankara, is waiting for April 24. It certainly
expects President Obama to use the word genocide. We heard here that
President Sarkisian insisted on this issue during his meeting with
President Obama. Armenian resources say that Obama in his speech on
April 24 needs to punish Turkey.

I wonder if Obama will satisfy the Armenians by punishing Turkey.

The question that everybody seeks an answer to nowadays is: What will
Obama do?

It is not a secret that Washington sympathizes with the Armenians
and perceives Turkey as spoiling the game. But thinking that way is
one thing and taking a step is another.

If we were to summarize, we’d say Washington holds all strings in
its hands.

Neither Ankara nor Yerevan can move.

Both countries are waiting for the statement on April 24th.

They will take action accordingly.

Now the ball is at Obama’s feet.

The United States is playing the game.

Washington has a great influence on both countries. But yet it cannot
get them to do anything it wants. So then, in exchange it makes both
capitals stand on one foot.

That’s the core of it…

Iran was not present but its spirit was

There was a record that took place during the establishment of the
United Nations but since then there has never been such carnival
of leaders.

It was worthwhile seeing leaders of 47 countries come together.

And of course, there was one other country that despite its absence
here was much talked about so much so that it was very interesting.

Turkey did not change its attitude.

It opposes the announcement of a brisk embargo against Iran.

The prime minister often repeats, "Give me one example. Which embargo
resulted in success? Was it the one against northern Iraq? Or the
one against Saddam?" and says that this issue won’t be solved with
an embargo full of brisk sanctions.

Turkey’s approach does of course not stir from its affection to Iran.

Ankara does not believe that the country’s benefits are hidden in a
formula that would force Iran into a corner. It suggests a compromise
with Teheran.

But Washington won’t listen.

Members of the nuclear club don’t want a new member joining them.

It is obvious that a double standard exists.

What people are most curious about is how long Ankara will continue
with its attitude.