RUBEN SAFRASTYAN: TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT AS MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR NOT IN RUSSIA’S INTERESTS
Lena Badeyan
"Radiolur"
14.05.2010 17:33
To what extent is the Russian President’s visit to Moscow
dangerous to Armenia and what can it result in? Historian,
Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan says he understands the concerns of the
Armenian authorities, since history has shown what implications the
Russian-Turkish political cooperation can have for Armenia. However,
the historian does not see trends of negative developments.
Within the framework of the visit to Turkey Dmnitry Medvedev did not
only discuss the Karabakh issue with Turkey, which does not co-chair
the OSCE Minsk Group, but also declared that Russia and Turkey should
play an active role in establishing peace in the region. However,
this is a gesture of goodwill rather than a political statement,
Ruben Safrastyan told a press conference today.
"The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have declared many times that they
do not wish to see the Turkey as the fourth co-chair. Secondly,
I think that Turkey’s involvement in the process does not proceed
from Russia’s interests, since it is Russia’s main competitor in the
region. I think we can be calm in this regard," Safrastyan said.
Ruben Safrastyan says Armenia’s anxiety about Russian-Turkish relations
is justified. It has historical bases. "We had a negative experience
in 1920-21, when the two political regimes – Bolsheviks and Kemalists
– that came to power in Russia and Turkey respectively, came to an
agreement and actually divided Armenia. Today’s cooperation between
Russia and Turkey has economic reasons, not political ones.
Turkey remains a NATO member, Turkey remains the main ally of the
United State sin the Middle East. Therefore, I do not believe that the
cooperation between the two countries could grow into a geopolitical
alliance," he stated.
Ruben Safrsatyan reminded that Russia has economic interests in
Armenia. Besides, Russia and Armenia are the only countries of the
region represented in the same security system – the Collective
Security Treaty Organization.
As for the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process, the historian
characterized it as a "game," adding that Turkey is still interested
in the process. According to Ruben Safrastyan, the fact that Armenia
initiated the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process with the
"football diplomacy" and was the first to withdraw from the process,
evidenced that Armenia pursues an independent foreign policy without
any outer pressures.