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TURKEY AND THE CAUCASUS: A CAUCASIAN CHEESE CIRCLE
Economist
http://www.economist.com/world/e urope/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11412925
May 22 2008
UK
The secret diplomacy of cheesemaking
ON AN icy February morning a clutch of Turks and Armenians huddled in a
hotel in Kars, with Turkish intelligence officials looking on. On May
14th their secret, a giant round of cheese, was unveiled in Gyumri,
over the sealed border in Armenia. Under the label of "Caucasian
cheese", the yellow slab symbolises reconciliation between Turkey
and Armenia, and across the Caucasus.
The idea of a regional "peace" cheese (Georgia and Azerbaijan are
involved too) met suspicion when mooted a year ago, says Alin Ozinian
of the Turkish Armenian Business Development Council. "We didn't
know how the authorities would react," said Zeki Aydin, a Turkish
cheese producer, who made the ten-hour trip from Kars to Gyumri via
Georgia. "We want our borders to be reopened, good neighbourly ties,
so we took a chance," said Ilhan Koculu, a fellow cheesemaker.
Vefa Ferejova, an Azeri campaigning to bury the hatchet with Armenia,
was also there, saying "We are told to hate Armenians: I will
not." Armenia and Azerbaijan are at loggerheads over Nagorno-Karabakh,
a patch of land that Armenia wrested from Azerbaijan in the early
1990s. This prompted Turkey to seal its border (but not air links)
with Armenia in 1993. American-brokered peace talks have failed,
and Azerbaijan now threatens to resort to force.
Yet there are hopeful signs that Turkey and Armenia may make
up. Turkey's president, Abdullah Gul, was among the first to
congratulate Serzh Sarkisian, who became Armenia's president in
a tainted election in February. Unofficial talks to establish
diplomatic ties could resume at any time. Indeed, there is a whiff
of desperation in the air. Turkey's ruling Justice and Development
(AK) Party is under threat of closure by the constitutional court for
allegedly wanting to bring in sharia law. AK's overtures to Armenia
may be aimed at garnering some Western support.
Mr Sarkisian's government is heading for trouble when gas prices
double this winter. An end to Turkey's blockade could temper
popular unrest. But hawks in Turkey and Armenia can still count on
Azerbaijan. Allegations that Armenia is sheltering Kurdish rebels have
stirred anger in Turkey. Where did they come from? "The Azeri press,"
snorts Mr Aydin. Even the best cheese cannot change everybody's
attitudes overnight.
Economist
http://www.economist.com/world/e urope/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11412925
May 22 2008
UK
The secret diplomacy of cheesemaking
ON AN icy February morning a clutch of Turks and Armenians huddled in a
hotel in Kars, with Turkish intelligence officials looking on. On May
14th their secret, a giant round of cheese, was unveiled in Gyumri,
over the sealed border in Armenia. Under the label of "Caucasian
cheese", the yellow slab symbolises reconciliation between Turkey
and Armenia, and across the Caucasus.
The idea of a regional "peace" cheese (Georgia and Azerbaijan are
involved too) met suspicion when mooted a year ago, says Alin Ozinian
of the Turkish Armenian Business Development Council. "We didn't
know how the authorities would react," said Zeki Aydin, a Turkish
cheese producer, who made the ten-hour trip from Kars to Gyumri via
Georgia. "We want our borders to be reopened, good neighbourly ties,
so we took a chance," said Ilhan Koculu, a fellow cheesemaker.
Vefa Ferejova, an Azeri campaigning to bury the hatchet with Armenia,
was also there, saying "We are told to hate Armenians: I will
not." Armenia and Azerbaijan are at loggerheads over Nagorno-Karabakh,
a patch of land that Armenia wrested from Azerbaijan in the early
1990s. This prompted Turkey to seal its border (but not air links)
with Armenia in 1993. American-brokered peace talks have failed,
and Azerbaijan now threatens to resort to force.
Yet there are hopeful signs that Turkey and Armenia may make
up. Turkey's president, Abdullah Gul, was among the first to
congratulate Serzh Sarkisian, who became Armenia's president in
a tainted election in February. Unofficial talks to establish
diplomatic ties could resume at any time. Indeed, there is a whiff
of desperation in the air. Turkey's ruling Justice and Development
(AK) Party is under threat of closure by the constitutional court for
allegedly wanting to bring in sharia law. AK's overtures to Armenia
may be aimed at garnering some Western support.
Mr Sarkisian's government is heading for trouble when gas prices
double this winter. An end to Turkey's blockade could temper
popular unrest. But hawks in Turkey and Armenia can still count on
Azerbaijan. Allegations that Armenia is sheltering Kurdish rebels have
stirred anger in Turkey. Where did they come from? "The Azeri press,"
snorts Mr Aydin. Even the best cheese cannot change everybody's
attitudes overnight.