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'APRIL 24 CRISIS' BETWEEN ANAKARA AND WASHINGTON SIMPLY INEVITABLE: SABAH
Tert.am
15:22 ~U 25.01.10
The issues that have come up in the process of normalizing
Armenia-Turkey relations prove that 2010 is going to be a crisis year
for Turkey-U.S. relations from the standpoint of approving a resolution
on the Armenian Genocide in U.S. Congress, reports Turkish daily Sabah.
According to Sabah, Ankara's statements on the Armenian Constitutional
Court's decision on the Armenian-Turkish Protocols are misplaced. It
is simply simple-minded to think that the Armenian side, by not raising
the Armenian Genocide issue as a precondition in normalizing relations,
has resigned from that process, writes Sabah.
"Armenia's Constitutional Court recognized the Protocols as being
constitutional and, in its decision, it emphasized that by signing the
Protocols, Armenia doesn't resign from the 'genocide' issue and the
Armenian cause. Is that an unusual occurrence? Armenia, supported by
the Protocols to establish relations with Turkey, didn't put forth the
'genocide' issue as a precondition, for which Yerevan became worthy
of the Armenian Diaspora's judgement.
"President Sargsyan took a big risk by not raising that issue as a
precondition. But what do we think of that? Did we think that Armenia
had resigned from the 'genocide' issue? We're not that simple-minded,
are we? Naturally, the Armenians didn't resign from that issue,
but rather made a decision to leave the issue to the commission of
historians. Let's not forget that 'genocide' is a national issue
for Armenia and will continue to remain so. They will always protect
their interests, and Turkey, its own.
"However, in the issue of normalizing relations, the parties decided
not that Yerevan will resign from that, but that it won't be a
precondition. But that's what the Constitutional Court decision is
expressing," reports Sabah.
According to the Turkish publication, Ankara's concerns that Armenia
doesn't recognize the Kars Treaty are also not convincing. Sabah,
drawing attention to Articles 3 and 5 of the Protocols, highlights
that the parties are obligated to recognize each other's territorial
integrity and current borders.
"It's Ankara who's pushing forth new preconditions. There is no
precondition on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the Protocols.
However, the ruling Justice and Development Party, because of both
Azerbaijan and [Turkey's] opposition, turned that issue into a
precondition and is searching for reasons not to ratify the Protocols.
This is how Washington, the European Union and Moscow comment on the
situation..." writes Sabah, adding that "Turkey increasingly remains
alone. In that case when Yerevan takes steps which correspond to the
spirit of the Protocols, an evasive approach is noticed by Ankara."
Sabah considers the 'April 24 crisis' between Anakara and Washington
to be simply inevitable in light of the current situation, and advises
Turkey to be prepared in advance. "The reason is very simple. The
Armenian lobby is counting the days till it can kick up a storm
in U.S. Congress. While Turkey, not taking positive steps in the
issue of the Protocols, is supporting that. In the opinion of the
Armenian lobby, this year is very favourable in terms of approving
a resolution on the Genocide, since the Jewish lobby is negatively
inclined toward Turkey.
"In addition, it's highly likely that the Democrats will lose
during the November 2010 interim elections. And since the number of
Republicans in Congress hasn't increased, the Armenian lobby hopes to
take advantage of the real possibility and have the Genocide resolution
approved. Obama, then, will be in a difficult position since, in the
issue of the Protocols, he didn't receive the support he wished for
from Ankara..."
Tert.am
15:22 ~U 25.01.10
The issues that have come up in the process of normalizing
Armenia-Turkey relations prove that 2010 is going to be a crisis year
for Turkey-U.S. relations from the standpoint of approving a resolution
on the Armenian Genocide in U.S. Congress, reports Turkish daily Sabah.
According to Sabah, Ankara's statements on the Armenian Constitutional
Court's decision on the Armenian-Turkish Protocols are misplaced. It
is simply simple-minded to think that the Armenian side, by not raising
the Armenian Genocide issue as a precondition in normalizing relations,
has resigned from that process, writes Sabah.
"Armenia's Constitutional Court recognized the Protocols as being
constitutional and, in its decision, it emphasized that by signing the
Protocols, Armenia doesn't resign from the 'genocide' issue and the
Armenian cause. Is that an unusual occurrence? Armenia, supported by
the Protocols to establish relations with Turkey, didn't put forth the
'genocide' issue as a precondition, for which Yerevan became worthy
of the Armenian Diaspora's judgement.
"President Sargsyan took a big risk by not raising that issue as a
precondition. But what do we think of that? Did we think that Armenia
had resigned from the 'genocide' issue? We're not that simple-minded,
are we? Naturally, the Armenians didn't resign from that issue,
but rather made a decision to leave the issue to the commission of
historians. Let's not forget that 'genocide' is a national issue
for Armenia and will continue to remain so. They will always protect
their interests, and Turkey, its own.
"However, in the issue of normalizing relations, the parties decided
not that Yerevan will resign from that, but that it won't be a
precondition. But that's what the Constitutional Court decision is
expressing," reports Sabah.
According to the Turkish publication, Ankara's concerns that Armenia
doesn't recognize the Kars Treaty are also not convincing. Sabah,
drawing attention to Articles 3 and 5 of the Protocols, highlights
that the parties are obligated to recognize each other's territorial
integrity and current borders.
"It's Ankara who's pushing forth new preconditions. There is no
precondition on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the Protocols.
However, the ruling Justice and Development Party, because of both
Azerbaijan and [Turkey's] opposition, turned that issue into a
precondition and is searching for reasons not to ratify the Protocols.
This is how Washington, the European Union and Moscow comment on the
situation..." writes Sabah, adding that "Turkey increasingly remains
alone. In that case when Yerevan takes steps which correspond to the
spirit of the Protocols, an evasive approach is noticed by Ankara."
Sabah considers the 'April 24 crisis' between Anakara and Washington
to be simply inevitable in light of the current situation, and advises
Turkey to be prepared in advance. "The reason is very simple. The
Armenian lobby is counting the days till it can kick up a storm
in U.S. Congress. While Turkey, not taking positive steps in the
issue of the Protocols, is supporting that. In the opinion of the
Armenian lobby, this year is very favourable in terms of approving
a resolution on the Genocide, since the Jewish lobby is negatively
inclined toward Turkey.
"In addition, it's highly likely that the Democrats will lose
during the November 2010 interim elections. And since the number of
Republicans in Congress hasn't increased, the Armenian lobby hopes to
take advantage of the real possibility and have the Genocide resolution
approved. Obama, then, will be in a difficult position since, in the
issue of the Protocols, he didn't receive the support he wished for
from Ankara..."