‘UNDER LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN, ARMENIA WAS MORE WILLING TO COMPROMISE’
news.az
April 15 2010
Azerbaijan
Yusif Babanli News.Az interviews Yusif Babanli, board member of
Azerbaijani American Council (AAC) and co-founder of US Azeris Network
(USAN).
US President Barack Obama urged Turkey and Armenia to take efforts
to improve relations between these countries at the meeting with
Armenian President Sargsyan. Which role can the US factor play in
the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation?
Efforts of the Obama administration to help Armenia and Turkey
reconcile are commendable. It’s obvious that as one the biggest
economies of the region, Azerbaijan is also interested in positive
social, political and economic developments in South Caucasus.
Azerbaijan has always supported friendly relations with its immediate
and distant neighbors. However, the very reconciliation and opening
of borders should not be done and even encouraged at the expense of
Azerbaijani lands. It’s inconceivable how Armenia, with the external
help, occupied a big chunk of a neighboring state, is claiming
territories of other states (Georgia and Turkey), imposes a burden of
"genocide" on Turkey and yet drags the West along into its agenda. US
administration should urge Armenia to start making compromises and
withdraw from Azerbaijani territories committing to international
laws and norms. Once the Armenia starts a constructive dialog,
it will subsequently become a part of the economic partnership and
improve lives of its own citizens.
Erdogan is confident that the US administration will not recognize
fictional "Armenian genocide". Does it mean that in his traditional
message to the Armenian community on April 24 Obama will avoid the word
"genocide" when qualifying the 1916 events in Ottoman Turkey?
The recent developments indicate that Barack Obama will most
likely avoid using the G-word during his annual address to the
Armenian-American community.
First of all, Turkey seems to have gotten re-assurance from the White
House since Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan made his way back after a
long absence from Washington. Turkey continues to be a strategic
US ally and its role in US foreign policy should not diminish at
any time. Nonetheless, Turkish and Azerbaijani Diaspora should also
increase their efforts in conveying the message of truth about the
mass killings of Anatolian and Azerbaijani Turks by Armenians during
WWI thus making the annual issue not only about US-Turkish strategic
political alliance, but also a moral one by showing the fate of Turkic
victims of the massacres, as well.
Secondly, as already indicated by Turkish government, the effects
of formal one-sided accusation of Turkey in WWI killings will spark
a rough response from Turkey and will quickly deteriorate US-Turkey
relations. In the light of Turkish recent rapprochement with Syria and
Iran, it’s easy to foresee the immediate reaction of Turkey. Thirdly,
the government take-over in Kyrgyzstan with apparent Russian help
officially acknowledged by Otunbayeva’s de-facto government last
week shows increased resurgence of Russia in Central Asia which is
an evident indicator that the vital Manas Airforce base leased to
US may follow the fate of Karshi-Khanabad (or K2, as known in US)
airforce base in Uzbekistan. This would leave Incirlik base in
Turkey as the only decades-long and stable NATO airbase being used
for operations both in Iraq and Afghanistan; and Azerbaijan’s airport
the only transit point allowing US military planes to refuel on route
to Afghanistan. US should recognize these strategic partnerships
from Turkey and Azerbaijan and re-evaluate its commitment to rapid
resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on official stance of all
US administrations on the conflict – territorial integrity of states.
Can Obama play an effective role in the resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict or his relevant statements are purely
declarative?
That depends on the long term goals of the Obama administration
vis-a-vis Azerbaijan and its dedication to conflict resolution in
South Caucasus. In other words, if Barack Obama wants the region
to reconcile and prosper rather than lead to increased diplomatic
tensions and possible military hostilities, then the administration
should exert pressure on Armenia to comply with a number of UN
resolutions and withdraw from Azerbaijani territories. Otherwise,
continuous pressuring of Turkey while disregarding Armenia’s official
denunciation of Turkish and Azerbaijani territorial boundaries will not
lead to reconciliation. Turkey will keep opposing opening of borders
both due to persistence of Armenian Diaspora to label the WWI events
as "genocide" and continuous occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh region of
its ally, Azerbaijan. With prolonged uncompromising stance of Armenia
on this issue the protraction will eventually lead to military option
thus putting the whole region on the brink of devastation. Constructive
position from Armenia would lead to opening of both Turkish-Armenian
and Azerbaijani-Armenian borders and make Armenia an economic transit
hub of the region thus substantially improving lives of both Armenians
in Republic of Armenia and Armenians of Azerbaijani citizenry in the
currently occupied Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Armenian president speaking in Washington Monday has again taken
an unconstructive stance on the normalization of relations with
Turkey and Azerbaijan. Which are the prospects of solution of the
Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azerbaijani problems in this respect?
Considering current unconstructive stance of the Sargsyan
administration, the prospects for peaceful solution of the conflict
are close to none and will keep fading away. Sargsyan’s logic can
only be interpreted as follows:
To Turkey: "You have to recognize what we call "genocide", re-write
your history, pay retributions, cede Turkish territory of what we call
"Western Armenia" and to Azerbaijan: "We have occupied Karabakh and
will not withdraw from your lands. The only time we will pull out
from some of the regions outside of former NKAO, is after you will
officially recognize our self-proclaimed entity "NKR". With all that
in mind, you have to open the borders, re-establish economic links, and
build railroads, pipelines so that we, Armenians live better than you."
This attitude will obviously lead to no results and is going to
further contain Armenia as a loner of the neighborhood. The only time
any compromise is possible is when both or, at least, one of either
Russia or US exerts considerable pressure on Armenia and disengages
it from its Diaspora, so that the ordinary citizens of Armenia who
live in poor conditions could also live prosperous and peaceful lives
as those Armenians in California, Michigan and New York.
They say it would have been easier to come to an agreement on
Karabakh with Armenia had it not been for the radically inclined
Armenian diaspora. What do you think should be taken to neutralize
the destructive influence of the Armenian lobby on Armenia in order
to attain peace in the region?
It is true that Armenian Diaspora has an immediate supervision over
many processes taking place in Armenia, starting from penetration of
its political system down to its basic economic entities. In fact,
under Levon Ter-Petrossyan, Armenia was more willing to compromise
and come to peaceful arrangements with Azerbaijan than at any
given time when Kocharyan and Sargsyan were in office. Perhaps,
this was one of the reasons why a radical ideologist organization
like Dashnaktsuituin was outlawed by Ter-Petrossyan due to its
constant intrusion of internal affairs of Republic of Armenia. It is
very simple to understand: Armenians in Diaspora who are fuelled by
radical Armenian ideology and live better lives have an easy dictate
from half way across the ocean. Travelling and visiting Armenia and
occupied Karabakh during vacation season does not give the ordinary
Diaspora Armenian an advantage in seeing how things really go in
the republic all year long. Those Armenians in Armenia and Karabakh
deserve good lives too and with radical ideology imposed by Diaspora,
they will never be able to live in peace. For the Armenian Republic
to function independently, it needs to first become independent, both
from Russia which controls 80% of Armenian economy, and from Armenian
Diaspora which controls its vital elements of the Armenian economic
infrastructure, socio-political life and state ideology. Once the
country is independent, it may conduct a balanced foreign policy. This
means, it can sell even 100% of its economy to neighboring states
like Russia, Iran or Turkey but at its own will, not because it has to
surrender it due to its external debts and external political support.
Same applies to relationship with Diaspora. Diaspora can hold
annual marathons, conferences, lobby Armenia’s interests abroad,
but definitely not use these elements as a reason to keep the country
and its leadership a hostage. As soon as this reality is understood
and perceived, there will be a breaking compromise in the Karabakh
conflict resolution and opening of borders. I have no doubt about that.
Yusif Babanli is board member of Azerbaijani American Council (AAC),
co-founder of US Azeris Network (USAN) and corporate secretary and
director (South region).