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Sunday's Zaman, Turkey
Aug 15 2010
Armenia and Turkey: rapprochement through the people
by AMANDA PAUL
Although official rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia is
currently on ice, all hope should not be lost. While the politicians
may be playing a waiting game, blaming each other for the failure of
the process, a sort of unofficial rapprochement is quietly taking
place. This is being carried out by increasing people-to-people
contacts through a variety of different ways, including sporting
activities and cultural projects. It is also being done through
tourism. Turkey is now a leading European holiday destination -- good
quality hotels and services at highly competitive prices are luring
Armenians over the `closed border' to taste the delights that their
traditional foe has to offer.
Armenians traditionally travel to other parts of Armenia for their
summer vacation. The magnificent Lake Sevan, the mountain resort of
Tsakhkadzor and the mineral spa of Jermuk being the most popular
destinations. However, these resorts are not cheap and, with the
global financial crisis hitting the country extremely hard, in
addition to Armenia's already difficult (if somewhat self-imposed)
economic situation, Armenians are feeling the credit crunch. With
Turkey offering very attractive packages, the idea of swimming in the
Mediterranean Sea is becoming increasingly appealing to cash-strapped,
land-locked Armenians.
While some Armenians see it as disgraceful -- `giving money to the
enemy' -- it has not stopped increasing numbers from jetting off to
Turkey. Indeed, Antalya now ranks as Armenia's number-one summer
vacation destination. In 2009 some 50,000 Armenians chose to go to
Turkey. Statistics for this year indicate that this figure is set to
increase by at least 30 percent. At least two charter flights per week
carry passengers from Yerevan direct to Antalya, with flights set to
run through to October. Tour operators in Armenia are also trying to
expand transport options to Bodrum, and Armenian historic sites in
Turkey, from Akdamar Island in Van to the Ani ruins near Kars, are
another huge draw.
Both sides are making nice money out of this. Where there is business
to be made and hard cash to be earned, historical squabbles are put to
the side -- at least temporarily, anyway. Clearly not everybody in
Armenia is happy about this development. Youth groups associated with
the nationalistic Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutiun)
have demanded that the mayor of Yerevan remove all posters and
billboards advertising Antalya. They claim that money being paid by
Armenians is going to arm and strengthen Turkey, and posters claiming
this fact are also springing up all over the place. So far it seems to
be having little effect.
However, while the Armenian leadership is clearly not going to stop
citizens from going to Turkey, it is looking at putting other options
on the table and has plans to increase resorts available to Armenians.
One such idea is the development of Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding provinces (legally part of Azerbaijan but currently
occupied by Armenia) into an attractive place for Armenian
holidaymakers. While there can be little doubt that many parts of this
region are extremely beautiful and formerly a top holiday destination
during Soviet times and earlier for the peoples of the Caucasus
(Shusha and Kelbajar in particular), these days it would take an awful
lot of work and money to transform them into a desirable holiday spot
halfway comparable to Antalya -- during and after the war Armenian
forces destroyed substantial (and in some cases all) infrastructure.
Nevertheless, there seems to be no shortage of rich Armenian diaspora
businessmen who would be only too happy to pour money into
Nagorno-Karabakh, which they view as something as a hobby. However,
while beautiful, there is no sea, or even a lake, to relax beside and,
quite frankly, the sound of gunfire in the background -- as the
cease-fire line continues to be violated -- may also be somewhat
off-putting unless, of course, you are the type of tourist that enjoys
vacations of a dangerous nature. And lastly, presently the only way to
get to Nagorno-Karabakh is by road -- a four-hour trip -- although
there are plans under way to create an airport that would see charter
flights come from Yerevan direct to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Somehow I doubt the `Karabakh Option' or any other will reverse the
trend of Armenians vacationing in Turkey. Turks and Armenians (and
also Azerbaijanis) lie side-by-side on sun loungers enjoying
themselves, having fun in the sun. So, while diplomacy may have its
potholes and setbacks and the politicians continue to waffle and
procrastinate, Turks and Armenians are getting on with life and by
doing so getting to know each other better, which can only be a
positive thing.
From: A. Papazian
Aug 15 2010
Armenia and Turkey: rapprochement through the people
by AMANDA PAUL
Although official rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia is
currently on ice, all hope should not be lost. While the politicians
may be playing a waiting game, blaming each other for the failure of
the process, a sort of unofficial rapprochement is quietly taking
place. This is being carried out by increasing people-to-people
contacts through a variety of different ways, including sporting
activities and cultural projects. It is also being done through
tourism. Turkey is now a leading European holiday destination -- good
quality hotels and services at highly competitive prices are luring
Armenians over the `closed border' to taste the delights that their
traditional foe has to offer.
Armenians traditionally travel to other parts of Armenia for their
summer vacation. The magnificent Lake Sevan, the mountain resort of
Tsakhkadzor and the mineral spa of Jermuk being the most popular
destinations. However, these resorts are not cheap and, with the
global financial crisis hitting the country extremely hard, in
addition to Armenia's already difficult (if somewhat self-imposed)
economic situation, Armenians are feeling the credit crunch. With
Turkey offering very attractive packages, the idea of swimming in the
Mediterranean Sea is becoming increasingly appealing to cash-strapped,
land-locked Armenians.
While some Armenians see it as disgraceful -- `giving money to the
enemy' -- it has not stopped increasing numbers from jetting off to
Turkey. Indeed, Antalya now ranks as Armenia's number-one summer
vacation destination. In 2009 some 50,000 Armenians chose to go to
Turkey. Statistics for this year indicate that this figure is set to
increase by at least 30 percent. At least two charter flights per week
carry passengers from Yerevan direct to Antalya, with flights set to
run through to October. Tour operators in Armenia are also trying to
expand transport options to Bodrum, and Armenian historic sites in
Turkey, from Akdamar Island in Van to the Ani ruins near Kars, are
another huge draw.
Both sides are making nice money out of this. Where there is business
to be made and hard cash to be earned, historical squabbles are put to
the side -- at least temporarily, anyway. Clearly not everybody in
Armenia is happy about this development. Youth groups associated with
the nationalistic Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutiun)
have demanded that the mayor of Yerevan remove all posters and
billboards advertising Antalya. They claim that money being paid by
Armenians is going to arm and strengthen Turkey, and posters claiming
this fact are also springing up all over the place. So far it seems to
be having little effect.
However, while the Armenian leadership is clearly not going to stop
citizens from going to Turkey, it is looking at putting other options
on the table and has plans to increase resorts available to Armenians.
One such idea is the development of Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding provinces (legally part of Azerbaijan but currently
occupied by Armenia) into an attractive place for Armenian
holidaymakers. While there can be little doubt that many parts of this
region are extremely beautiful and formerly a top holiday destination
during Soviet times and earlier for the peoples of the Caucasus
(Shusha and Kelbajar in particular), these days it would take an awful
lot of work and money to transform them into a desirable holiday spot
halfway comparable to Antalya -- during and after the war Armenian
forces destroyed substantial (and in some cases all) infrastructure.
Nevertheless, there seems to be no shortage of rich Armenian diaspora
businessmen who would be only too happy to pour money into
Nagorno-Karabakh, which they view as something as a hobby. However,
while beautiful, there is no sea, or even a lake, to relax beside and,
quite frankly, the sound of gunfire in the background -- as the
cease-fire line continues to be violated -- may also be somewhat
off-putting unless, of course, you are the type of tourist that enjoys
vacations of a dangerous nature. And lastly, presently the only way to
get to Nagorno-Karabakh is by road -- a four-hour trip -- although
there are plans under way to create an airport that would see charter
flights come from Yerevan direct to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Somehow I doubt the `Karabakh Option' or any other will reverse the
trend of Armenians vacationing in Turkey. Turks and Armenians (and
also Azerbaijanis) lie side-by-side on sun loungers enjoying
themselves, having fun in the sun. So, while diplomacy may have its
potholes and setbacks and the politicians continue to waffle and
procrastinate, Turks and Armenians are getting on with life and by
doing so getting to know each other better, which can only be a
positive thing.
From: A. Papazian