TURKEY ALL IN A FLUSTER YET AZERIS DON’T CARE
Hurriyet
April 14 2010
Turkey
WASHINGTON – On one side, I felt sentimental toward the Turkish
delegation in Washington, yet was offended on the other.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is preoccupied with meetings so
is Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Both have plenty of contacts.
The reason is to stop U.S. President Barack Obama from uttering the
word "genocide" during his expected speech on April 24 and convince
the U.S. administration to say "Meds Yeghern" (Great Catastrophe)
as they did last year, which is almost a synonym for Armenians.
We keep experiencing this infamy every year.
Turkish-American relations get tense every year as battle of words
turns into blackmails. And each year we exert tremendous efforts to
stop the approval of a "genocide" bill in the U.S. Congress.
The word "genocide" put Turkey through the wringer as Turkish
authorities get exhausted to save the country from a nightmare.
For the first time, a mechanism to break this cycle and freeze the
genocide issue at least for a while has been found. The protocols
Turkey and Armenia signed are of historic importance.
As officials pushed the button an unexpected reaction came from the
Azeri capital Baku.
I wouldn’t want to discuss here if it was because Turkey was informed
late or Azeris first undermined the developments but then got sober
at a later time.
After a series of incidents such as lowering the Turkish flag at
the Turkish cemetery, fiercest remarks targeting Ankara, Erdogan had
to step back and tied the protocols to the solution of the Karabakh
conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Yet Armenians and Americans outraged blaming Turkey to create a new
pre-condition.
But Ankara was trying to show Baku that they were not alone; that’s
all. Instead of ridding of the biggest trouble they had, Ankara was
pushing forward the Karabakh issue.
If Turkey had considered self interests only, it could’ve acted very
differently. Turkey could’ve considered that Azerbaijan needs Turkey
more than Turkey needs it. So, Turkey could’ve forced Azerbaijan.
But it didn’t.
Erdogan paid a visit to the Azeri President Ä°lham Aliyev in Baku
and reconciled with him.
All right, but what are our Azeri brothers doing in return?
Azeris are simply watching and gibing
Amid the on-going struggle, our Azeri brothers are just watching us
from a distance.
Let me ask you this: Has Azerbaijan taken sides with Turkey, even for
a single day, in the genocide question? Have they supported Turkish
lobbying in the U.S. Congress? For instance, which PR firm they had
a deal to join a Turkish campaign in the subject matter?
I don’t remember any.
If there is even a single effort please let me know, please surprise
me.
Baku has always acted like a mere spectator.
Azeris think Turkey needs them. Although Azeri officials do not
openly utter in exact words they imply, "We are rich and you have to
do whatever we ask you to do." Such arrogance! That beats me up!
Their general attitude is like "We have brought Turkey to heel."
I am not resentful in general and never lost myself in the dark
corridors of nationalism.
But as I watch what is happening in Washington, I have noticed
such bias.
Let’s not forget relations or official contacts among leaders are not
everything. The minute you spoil or force love and respect between
nations, it becomes impossible to mend a broken heart no matter how
leaders act.
I believe that Turkey cannot ignore Azerbaijan. And that has nothing to
do with less expensive oil or natural gas sales. Turkey feels sorry in
case of a break-up in bilateral relations. But Azerbaijan loses a lot.
>>From now on, Azerbaijan should pay utmost attention to bilateral
relations.
Azeri officials should pause before they speak and be aware of what
they say. They should stop issuing relentless statements.
They should be fair to Turkey.
From: Baghdasarian