VLADIMIR PUTIN: INTERDEPENDENCE OF PROCESSES EXTENDS FINAL RESOLUTIONS
Panorama.am
19:17 14/01/2010
The interdependence of the normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties and
the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will extend the final
solution to the problems, Russia’s Vladimir Putin declared at the
meeting with Turkish PM Rejep Tayip Erdogan.
"Taking into account that both Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and
Armenian-Turkish issue are tougher issues separately, I don’t think
involving them into one single package would be right done. It’s
difficult to find solutions for them even separately. But if we
accumulate them their resolution would be even more postponed,"
Russian PM said. In the beginning of the new round of Armenian-Turkish
ties Russia’s Putin statement is of great significance. First,
official Moscow confirmed the disposition, in its highest level,
that Armenian-Turkish ties should be settled without any preconditions.
Second, the statement was made when Turkey’s PM Erdogan was present.
In fact, Turkey’s PM has adopted a role of a state official who
puts preconditions and gives certain promises to Azerbaijan. Hence,
one of Russia’s leader’s definite disposition voiced towards this
issue should not be underestimated. Prime Minister Erdogan’s the
same request was rejected in USA also. It’s worth reminding that in
December of the previous year, US President Barack Obama stated in
his speech in Washington that ties with Armenia should be normalized
with preconditions, and delaying of ratification of Armenian-Turkish
protocols could contribute to adoption of Genocide resolution by
Congress. If Washington threats were made unofficially, Moscow
statement and the "yellow card" shown to Turkey was made officially.
Russia’s PM’s statement is remarkable as Turkish and Azerbaijani
mass media, as well as some Armenian media publications were making
different previsions ensuring that Erdogan’s mission was to encourage
Russia to make pressure upon Armenia and that Russia’s Sergey Lavrov
had the same mission in Armenia. Hence, Putin’s statement rejected all
those imaginary rumors. Currently almost everything is declared and it
might happen that Russia tries to take the initiative of normalizing
the conflict. Though states and officials involved in these processes
have declared that Armenian-Turkish ties and Karabakh conflict should
not be linked, Putin’s statement pointed out the danger of linking
those two separate processes. "Interdependence of the processes could
extend the resolutions." Note that Armenia’s Serzh Sargsyan spoke
about those dangerous but never pointed them, as being a direct side
to the conflict the president’s statements couldn’t be appropriately
treated but a mediator state could make such statements. Russia’s PM’s
statement should be understood as an attempt to alarm Turkey to escape
creating tougher situations in the region. One significant issue is
put in the agenda – ratification of Armenian-Turkish protocols; and
most probably Russia’s PM wanted to alarm Turkey that the reasonable
time to ratify them is getting expired. Let’s hope that the forthcoming
weeks will show whether Turkey caught the warning.