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ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PAPER SCEPTICAL ABOUT NORMALIZING TIES WITH TURKEY
Haykakan Zhamanak
Sept 2 2009
Armenia
The statement issued by the Armenian, Turkish and Swiss ministries of
foreign affairs the day before [31 August] and two protocols on the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey,
which have been initially signed, were number one and the most
important political topic for both Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan
throughout yesterday [1 September]. Of course, the approach to the
development was different in these three countries. However, this is
not important at the moment.
The important thing is that an almost irreversible process started for
these three countries beginning from yesterday, and it will not be
possible to make clear predictions about its outcome. It is obvious
that results, which the authorities of each of these three countries
will get in six weeks, will depend on the steps they will take during
these weeks or even during a shorter period. That is Armenia, as a
result of the process, which started yesterday, will have what will
be possible to achieve via policy and diplomacy of the [Armenian]
authorities.
However, it is hard to make promising predictions even based on the
most optimistic scenarios. If one realizes what kind of domestic and
foreign political capabilities [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan
has, what kind of support he enjoys from people and political forces
in the country, and especially what "debts" and "responsibilities"
he assumed from the West, and especially from big countries, from
very important international entities in exchange for holding the
presidential office for a year and a half, it is simply impossible
to imagine that Armenia can come out of the process, which started
yesterday, in a victorious and advantageous manner.
In general, great and irreversible events are happening in the history
of the countries. They have major significance for the future of the
countries - either in a good or bad sense. That is the greater and the
more memorable an event is, the less is the possibility that it will
have an ordinary impact on a country and its people. Establishment of
diplomatic relations with Turkey is this kind of a great event for
Armenia. However can it have positive consequences for our country
and people? Perhaps this question could have been answered positively
under different circumstances, but such a prospect is more than vague
at present. Even if we put aside all the aforementioned problems, we
should say that in the current political atmosphere in Armenia, under
conditions of such political tension and public division in Armenia,
great and major steps can serve only the interests of the opposite side
according to all rules of political science, diplomacy and nature, in
general. Opinions of various layers of our public, published yesterday
by the mass media not controlled by the authorities, showed that the
prevailing majority of our public understands this simple truth very
well. One can do nothing else but try not to let this important event
become disadvantageous for Armenia and do one's best in order to have
an opposite result.
Haykakan Zhamanak
Sept 2 2009
Armenia
The statement issued by the Armenian, Turkish and Swiss ministries of
foreign affairs the day before [31 August] and two protocols on the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey,
which have been initially signed, were number one and the most
important political topic for both Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan
throughout yesterday [1 September]. Of course, the approach to the
development was different in these three countries. However, this is
not important at the moment.
The important thing is that an almost irreversible process started for
these three countries beginning from yesterday, and it will not be
possible to make clear predictions about its outcome. It is obvious
that results, which the authorities of each of these three countries
will get in six weeks, will depend on the steps they will take during
these weeks or even during a shorter period. That is Armenia, as a
result of the process, which started yesterday, will have what will
be possible to achieve via policy and diplomacy of the [Armenian]
authorities.
However, it is hard to make promising predictions even based on the
most optimistic scenarios. If one realizes what kind of domestic and
foreign political capabilities [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan
has, what kind of support he enjoys from people and political forces
in the country, and especially what "debts" and "responsibilities"
he assumed from the West, and especially from big countries, from
very important international entities in exchange for holding the
presidential office for a year and a half, it is simply impossible
to imagine that Armenia can come out of the process, which started
yesterday, in a victorious and advantageous manner.
In general, great and irreversible events are happening in the history
of the countries. They have major significance for the future of the
countries - either in a good or bad sense. That is the greater and the
more memorable an event is, the less is the possibility that it will
have an ordinary impact on a country and its people. Establishment of
diplomatic relations with Turkey is this kind of a great event for
Armenia. However can it have positive consequences for our country
and people? Perhaps this question could have been answered positively
under different circumstances, but such a prospect is more than vague
at present. Even if we put aside all the aforementioned problems, we
should say that in the current political atmosphere in Armenia, under
conditions of such political tension and public division in Armenia,
great and major steps can serve only the interests of the opposite side
according to all rules of political science, diplomacy and nature, in
general. Opinions of various layers of our public, published yesterday
by the mass media not controlled by the authorities, showed that the
prevailing majority of our public understands this simple truth very
well. One can do nothing else but try not to let this important event
become disadvantageous for Armenia and do one's best in order to have
an opposite result.