TURKEY, ARMENIA SHOULD ‘MOVE AHEAD’
news.az
April 22 2010
Azerbaijan
Sabine Freizer Ankara and Yerevan should act now on the less
controversial aspects of the rapprochement accords, setting aside
full ratification until later.
This is the view put forward by Sabine Freizer, Europe Program director
for the International Crisis Group.
Writing for the Global Post, Freizer said that the protocols on
normalizing relations and opening the border, signed by Armenia and
Turkey in October 2009, had stalled with no likelihood of ratification
in the respective parliaments any time soon.
‘The Turkish government decided that it could not ignore Azeri pressure
and with difficult negotiations going on concerning constitutional
reform, it does not want to pick a fight over border opening with
the nationalist opposition in parliament. There is little chance
that the twin protocols can move until after the next round of
Turkish elections in 2011, or until Azerbaijan and Armenia sign
the long-awaited agreement on basic principles on Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution,’ Freizer said.
She writes that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is also under
pressure. ‘Even though a quick ratification in Armenia would firmly
put the ball in Turkey’s court and give Yerevan credit internationally,
domestic opposition is strong.’
Armenia and Turkey could go ahead and establish diplomatic ties,
the analyst said.
‘The decade of confidence-building that preceded the Turkey-Armenian
protocol signing could now be lost unless there is progress soon. The
best step now would be for Ankara and Yerevan to temporarily put
aside the most difficult aspects of the protocols and move ahead with
the less controversial parts. Despite current troubles, they could
proceed with the establishment of diplomatic ties and recognition of
their mutual border. These need no parliamentary approval, are purely
about bilateral relations and are not linked to Nagorno-Karabakh.
‘Turkey and Armenia have a mounting number of bilateral issues to
address requiring simple consular services. There are up to 40,000
Armenian citizens living in Turkey, tens of thousands of Armenian
tourists visit the Turkish riviera every year and countless Turkish
truck drivers and small businesses operating in Armenia.’