RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN: TURKEY UNCERTAIN AS TO ITS ARMENIA-RELATED PLANS
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 21, 2010 – 16:04 AMT 11:04 GMT
Armenia-Turkey rapprochement has always been perceived as the
beginning of a longer process. No one expected it to be fast and
simple, director of Armenian Center for National and International
Studies (ACNIS) Richard Giragosian stated.
However, he noted, significant progress was observed in Armenia-Turkey
relations over the last year. "This year, for the first time in
Istanbul history, Turkish intellectual elite will commemorate Armenian
Genocide victims. This fact means that intellectual borders have been
opened, altering Turkish people’s views on their own history."
As the expert stated, there’s no need to commend Turkey for agreeing
to rapprochement, normalization of ties with a neighbor being the
duty of any civilized country.
"The rapprochement impaired Turkey -Azerbaijan relations, rendering
One nation – Two states motto inviable. Both US and Russia announced
Armenia-Turkey relations to be unrelated to Karabakh issue. Ankara
has chosen its course, the one hard to deviate from," Armenian expert
noted, adding that Turkey is still uncertain as to its Armenia-related
plans.
"Protocols failure to stipulate for any sanctions in case of agreement
violation is an obvious drawback. There’s nothing to prevent Turkey
from re-closing the border even after it has been opened," Giragosian
said.
Also, he didn’t preclude Azerbaijan’s resumption of hostilities to
hamper Armenia-Turkey reconciliation.