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RASIM AGHAYEV: "PROSPECTS OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS CURRENTLY SEEM OBSCURE"
Today.Az
June 25 2008
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with famous political scientist Rasim Aghayev.
- How would you comment on the current state of Armenian-Turkish
relations?
- Undoubtedly, the current state of Armenian-Turkish relations
cannot be compared with the level of Azerbaijani-Turkish relations,
though once the relations between these two countries were growing,
particularly, frontier trade between the countries was widely
developed, businessmen of the two countries were actively cooperating
and Europe imposed pressure on Turkey for it to open borders with
Armenia before the resolution of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno Karabakh.
Thus, Europe tried to take Armenia out of the deadlock, in which it
led itself by its non-constructive policy, open territorial claims to
neighbor countries of the region. Time passed and the world society
realized that the incumbent leadership of Armenia, in which only
personalities were replaced, but not the court and outlook, creates
great problems for establishment of reliable peace in the entire
South Caucasus region.
Therefore, pressure on Turkey related to the need to open borders with
Armenia has declined and a poor country with lots of both internal
and external problems, will not attract too many people. It is not
attractive for Turkey as well. Therefore, prospects of Armenian-Turkish
relations currently seem obscure to me. Even so more Armenia does
not want to reject its main problem-openly declared expansion policy.
- But Armenia has another problem, which is a pathological striving
to prove to the world the fact that mythical genocide of Armenians
really occurred in the Osman Turkey. How do you assess announcement
of President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan that Armenia is not against
Turkey's offer about formaiton of a commission which will study
historical facts, but Armenians are ready to start the work only
after the borders are open?
- Such announcement demonstrates not only the deadlocked external
policy concept of Armenia, which turned not to be able to restore
friendly relations with all the South Caucasus countries but also
that the leadership of Armenia is already aware of this sad fact for
Armenia. In this connection i would like to stress the correctness of
Turkey's offer, which proposed to open all its historical archives to
make the issue of "genocide of Armenians" clear stating that history
should be death with by historians and not politicians.
As you remember, Armenia's first reaction was the rejection of such
initiative. Some time passed, during which Armenia's position has
worsened, while Azerbaijan's image and its status in the world
is growing, increasing the economic gap between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. It all obliges the current leadership of Armenia to make
cunny announcements, trying to attain opening of borders from Turkey
before making such all-Armenian myth as "genocide of Armenians"
in the Osman Turkey, clear.
Though, I think it would be more correct for the future of Armenia to
open national discussion, through which the powers of the country could
try to explain to their population that at the current stage Armenia
needs to disavow the openly declared policy of territorial claims to
the neighbor countries and the attempt to persuade the world that
"genocide of Armenians" really occurred in 1915 and restore really
good neighbor relations with all states of the South Caucasus region.
- Isn't there a risk for incumbent authorities of Armenia that
conduction of such a national discussion will lead to sharp criticism
of their actions and would result in national upheaval, resulting in
the overthrow of political regime in the country?
- I think conduction of such discussions is needed regardless of
whether Armenian authorities want it or no. Here Armenian people should
say their word and I am sure that there is such potential for it, as
majority of ordinary Armenians are far from such ideas as the myth of
"genocide" or myth on creation of Great Armenia, which are used by
definite politicians in this country to come to power. This is proven
by the fact that most Armenians leave their historical motherland in a
search of better life and the events, which occurred in Armenia during
the recent presidential elections, when Levon Ter-Petrosyan, speaking
of the need to establish good neighbor relations with Azerbaijan and
Turkey, was supported by the majority of Armenians.
At that time, "Karabakh clan" managed to escape the most frustrating
results only owing to brutal repressions. But I think that it wasn't
Serzh Sargsyan's real victory over his people, as life proves the
erroneousness of the way, chosen by the working Armenian authorities.
- And the last question: what should Azerbaijan do in such conditions?
- Azerbaijan should raise its economic and diplomatic superiority
over Armenia, establish good neighbor relations with all South
Caucasus countries.
But at the same time, our country should restore a dialogue with
its own citizens-Nagorno Karabakh Armenians. We should invite them
to Baku, demonstrate all advantages they will have within the high
status autonomy as part of Azerbaijan, as the worse economic and
political situation in Armenia is and the better it is in Azerbaijan,
the higher are chances that Nagorno Karabakh Armenians will become
aware of the lack of prospects of their policy on self-isolation from
Azerbaijan. It is necessary to stop putting fate of the Karabakh
conflict to dependance from the next proposals of the OSCE Minsk
Group and engage in its just resolution.
Today.Az
June 25 2008
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with famous political scientist Rasim Aghayev.
- How would you comment on the current state of Armenian-Turkish
relations?
- Undoubtedly, the current state of Armenian-Turkish relations
cannot be compared with the level of Azerbaijani-Turkish relations,
though once the relations between these two countries were growing,
particularly, frontier trade between the countries was widely
developed, businessmen of the two countries were actively cooperating
and Europe imposed pressure on Turkey for it to open borders with
Armenia before the resolution of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno Karabakh.
Thus, Europe tried to take Armenia out of the deadlock, in which it
led itself by its non-constructive policy, open territorial claims to
neighbor countries of the region. Time passed and the world society
realized that the incumbent leadership of Armenia, in which only
personalities were replaced, but not the court and outlook, creates
great problems for establishment of reliable peace in the entire
South Caucasus region.
Therefore, pressure on Turkey related to the need to open borders with
Armenia has declined and a poor country with lots of both internal
and external problems, will not attract too many people. It is not
attractive for Turkey as well. Therefore, prospects of Armenian-Turkish
relations currently seem obscure to me. Even so more Armenia does
not want to reject its main problem-openly declared expansion policy.
- But Armenia has another problem, which is a pathological striving
to prove to the world the fact that mythical genocide of Armenians
really occurred in the Osman Turkey. How do you assess announcement
of President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan that Armenia is not against
Turkey's offer about formaiton of a commission which will study
historical facts, but Armenians are ready to start the work only
after the borders are open?
- Such announcement demonstrates not only the deadlocked external
policy concept of Armenia, which turned not to be able to restore
friendly relations with all the South Caucasus countries but also
that the leadership of Armenia is already aware of this sad fact for
Armenia. In this connection i would like to stress the correctness of
Turkey's offer, which proposed to open all its historical archives to
make the issue of "genocide of Armenians" clear stating that history
should be death with by historians and not politicians.
As you remember, Armenia's first reaction was the rejection of such
initiative. Some time passed, during which Armenia's position has
worsened, while Azerbaijan's image and its status in the world
is growing, increasing the economic gap between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. It all obliges the current leadership of Armenia to make
cunny announcements, trying to attain opening of borders from Turkey
before making such all-Armenian myth as "genocide of Armenians"
in the Osman Turkey, clear.
Though, I think it would be more correct for the future of Armenia to
open national discussion, through which the powers of the country could
try to explain to their population that at the current stage Armenia
needs to disavow the openly declared policy of territorial claims to
the neighbor countries and the attempt to persuade the world that
"genocide of Armenians" really occurred in 1915 and restore really
good neighbor relations with all states of the South Caucasus region.
- Isn't there a risk for incumbent authorities of Armenia that
conduction of such a national discussion will lead to sharp criticism
of their actions and would result in national upheaval, resulting in
the overthrow of political regime in the country?
- I think conduction of such discussions is needed regardless of
whether Armenian authorities want it or no. Here Armenian people should
say their word and I am sure that there is such potential for it, as
majority of ordinary Armenians are far from such ideas as the myth of
"genocide" or myth on creation of Great Armenia, which are used by
definite politicians in this country to come to power. This is proven
by the fact that most Armenians leave their historical motherland in a
search of better life and the events, which occurred in Armenia during
the recent presidential elections, when Levon Ter-Petrosyan, speaking
of the need to establish good neighbor relations with Azerbaijan and
Turkey, was supported by the majority of Armenians.
At that time, "Karabakh clan" managed to escape the most frustrating
results only owing to brutal repressions. But I think that it wasn't
Serzh Sargsyan's real victory over his people, as life proves the
erroneousness of the way, chosen by the working Armenian authorities.
- And the last question: what should Azerbaijan do in such conditions?
- Azerbaijan should raise its economic and diplomatic superiority
over Armenia, establish good neighbor relations with all South
Caucasus countries.
But at the same time, our country should restore a dialogue with
its own citizens-Nagorno Karabakh Armenians. We should invite them
to Baku, demonstrate all advantages they will have within the high
status autonomy as part of Azerbaijan, as the worse economic and
political situation in Armenia is and the better it is in Azerbaijan,
the higher are chances that Nagorno Karabakh Armenians will become
aware of the lack of prospects of their policy on self-isolation from
Azerbaijan. It is necessary to stop putting fate of the Karabakh
conflict to dependance from the next proposals of the OSCE Minsk
Group and engage in its just resolution.