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TURKISH MP: ARMENIA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS "DIED" AFTER DECISION BY U.S. CONGRESS HOUSE COMMITTEE
Today
http://www.today.az/news/politics /63879.html
March 12 2010
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
(Parliament), Deputy Chairman of the Republican People's Party
Shukru Elekdag.
How do you see further development of events following the decision
by the U.S. Congress House Committee on Foreign Relations on the
"Armenian genocide"? You were in Washington and watched the process.
In your opinion, will the U.S. bring this process to the end?
The U.S. leaders are very concerned about the Congress committee
decision. We saw this in the course of our observations in Washington
and from the statements made by President Barack Obama and Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton. They urged the congressmen not to go further in
this matter. They are aware of Turkey's harsh attitude to this issue.
Moreover, at a time of serious processes around the world, particularly
in the Middle East and at a time when the U.S needs Turkey as an ally,
the committee's decision caused a shock. The Obama administration
wants to resolve the Armenian-Turkish question not by surgery, but
by therapy. Turkey also wants this. Turkey wants a speedy resolution
to the Armenian issue. Amid such important processes in the world,
Armenian nationalists' "genocide" and territorial claims look very
meaningless and inappropriate.
Taking advantage of general fuss, Armenian nationalists want to play
their game and achieve something. The U.S. leaders understand that
miserable game of Armenian nationalists could become a serious problem
for America. Bringing the Armenian issue to the fore is disadvantageous
for the Obama administration at a time the U.S. is trying to solve the
Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan problems. The U.S. saw a sharp reaction from
Turkey, and the White House immediately made all necessary. I think
"genocide" claims will recede into the background over time.
Do you mean Barack Obama will not utter the word "genocide" on
April 24?
It must be noted that compared with the Bush administration, the
Obama administration is not so zealously trying to resist "genocide"
decision. The current U.S. administration is in debt to the Armenian
lobby for financial assistance in the election campaign. And a debt
must be repaid. But this debt can cost much because of problems
with Turkey.
So, I do not think that the U.S. is interested in continuing the
process of "genocide". It is hard to predict what will happen on
April 24. To demonstrate his indifference to Turkey's reaction,
Barack Obama can pronounce the word "genocide" on April 24. But this
means that the process of so-called "genocide" will continue.
After the U.S. House committee's approval of the Resolution 252, does
Ankara doubt about a need to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols?
Turkey should withdraw the protocols from the Turkish Parliament after
this decision. We have recalled our ambassador to the United States.
But this reaction is not enough. We must show that a decision on
the so-called "genocide" is an obstacle to the normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations.
We have previously said we will not sign the protocols until the
Karabakh problem is resolved. The U.S. claimed that the Karabakh
problem has nothing to do with the Armenian-Turkish relations. Now
this decision on the so-called "genocide" is our trump card. We must
say that the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations is impossible
while there is such a slander.
Even during the negotiations on the signing of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols we warned the government that it would not be the key
to solving the problems between Yerevan and Ankara. The Armenian
Constitutional Court decision once again confirmed that we were right.
After this decision we proposed the government to withdraw the
protocols from the parliament. But the government chose to wait.
Then we received a second blow by the U.S. congressional committee
decision. In this situation, the ratification of protocols can lead
to undesirable consequences for Turkey. The Armenian-Turkish protocol
have "died" for us after the U.S. Congress committee's recent move.
We must remember the promise Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made
in the Azerbaijani parliament in May 2009. He promised the Azerbaijani
people not to ratify the protocols till the Karabakh problem is
resolved. Turkey must keep its word. We see that the Karabakh problem
is not solved, and that Armenia drags out the process. Under these
conditions there is no need to keep the protocols in the Turkish
Parliament. These protocols lost all meaning after March 4.
The United States, which advises us to improve relations with Armenia
and always declares its commitment to democratic values, grossly
violated the very principles of a vote and adopted a decision on the
so-called "genocide." This decision completely ruined the protocol
process.
The media have recently been discussing the Turkish-Russian warming
and bilateral cooperation in the nuclear field. Is it possible that
the U.S. took this step because of dissatisfaction with the process
to put pressure on Turkey?
Turkey has a good relationship with Russia and they are improving. But
cooperation between the two countries in the nuclear field is
irrelevant. I do not think that Russia wants Turkey to become a
nuclear power. On the other hand, the U.S. is seriously concerned
over Iran's nuclear program and is doing everything necessary to stop
these programs. At that point, Turkey does not want to create another
crisis engaging in a nuclear issue.
But the U.S. has plans to deploy missiles in Turkey. It wanted to
deploy missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. But
Russia objected, and the States abandoned the idea. Now they have an
idea to deploy missiles in Anatolia. They attribute it to hypothetical
threats from Russia. But, in fact, these missiles are intended for
Iran, but not Russia.
Turkey should not allow the U.S. to use its territory as a springboard
for attacks on Iran. Iran is our closest neighbor and friendly country
for Turkey. I am against U.S. intentions to threaten Turkey's neighbors
with missiles located in Anatolia or military ships in the Aegean
Sea. Certainly, Turkey will reject U.S. plans to deploy missiles.
Following the decision by U.S. House Congress committee, there were
proposals to close the Incirlik base and withdraw soldiers from
Afghanistan...
It's too much. To voice our protest, we recalled ambassador to
Washington, reminded the U.S. of a need to return Turkey's debts and
explained that we can refuse to participate in the Iranian campaign.
This can include also withdrawal of the protocols from the parliament.
I think that this will suffice for today. We cannot use all the cards
at once. In any case, it is not necessary to become enemies with the
United States because of the decision on the so-called "genocide".
Simply, everyone should understand his own mistake.
Today
http://www.today.az/news/politics /63879.html
March 12 2010
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
(Parliament), Deputy Chairman of the Republican People's Party
Shukru Elekdag.
How do you see further development of events following the decision
by the U.S. Congress House Committee on Foreign Relations on the
"Armenian genocide"? You were in Washington and watched the process.
In your opinion, will the U.S. bring this process to the end?
The U.S. leaders are very concerned about the Congress committee
decision. We saw this in the course of our observations in Washington
and from the statements made by President Barack Obama and Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton. They urged the congressmen not to go further in
this matter. They are aware of Turkey's harsh attitude to this issue.
Moreover, at a time of serious processes around the world, particularly
in the Middle East and at a time when the U.S needs Turkey as an ally,
the committee's decision caused a shock. The Obama administration
wants to resolve the Armenian-Turkish question not by surgery, but
by therapy. Turkey also wants this. Turkey wants a speedy resolution
to the Armenian issue. Amid such important processes in the world,
Armenian nationalists' "genocide" and territorial claims look very
meaningless and inappropriate.
Taking advantage of general fuss, Armenian nationalists want to play
their game and achieve something. The U.S. leaders understand that
miserable game of Armenian nationalists could become a serious problem
for America. Bringing the Armenian issue to the fore is disadvantageous
for the Obama administration at a time the U.S. is trying to solve the
Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan problems. The U.S. saw a sharp reaction from
Turkey, and the White House immediately made all necessary. I think
"genocide" claims will recede into the background over time.
Do you mean Barack Obama will not utter the word "genocide" on
April 24?
It must be noted that compared with the Bush administration, the
Obama administration is not so zealously trying to resist "genocide"
decision. The current U.S. administration is in debt to the Armenian
lobby for financial assistance in the election campaign. And a debt
must be repaid. But this debt can cost much because of problems
with Turkey.
So, I do not think that the U.S. is interested in continuing the
process of "genocide". It is hard to predict what will happen on
April 24. To demonstrate his indifference to Turkey's reaction,
Barack Obama can pronounce the word "genocide" on April 24. But this
means that the process of so-called "genocide" will continue.
After the U.S. House committee's approval of the Resolution 252, does
Ankara doubt about a need to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols?
Turkey should withdraw the protocols from the Turkish Parliament after
this decision. We have recalled our ambassador to the United States.
But this reaction is not enough. We must show that a decision on
the so-called "genocide" is an obstacle to the normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations.
We have previously said we will not sign the protocols until the
Karabakh problem is resolved. The U.S. claimed that the Karabakh
problem has nothing to do with the Armenian-Turkish relations. Now
this decision on the so-called "genocide" is our trump card. We must
say that the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations is impossible
while there is such a slander.
Even during the negotiations on the signing of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols we warned the government that it would not be the key
to solving the problems between Yerevan and Ankara. The Armenian
Constitutional Court decision once again confirmed that we were right.
After this decision we proposed the government to withdraw the
protocols from the parliament. But the government chose to wait.
Then we received a second blow by the U.S. congressional committee
decision. In this situation, the ratification of protocols can lead
to undesirable consequences for Turkey. The Armenian-Turkish protocol
have "died" for us after the U.S. Congress committee's recent move.
We must remember the promise Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made
in the Azerbaijani parliament in May 2009. He promised the Azerbaijani
people not to ratify the protocols till the Karabakh problem is
resolved. Turkey must keep its word. We see that the Karabakh problem
is not solved, and that Armenia drags out the process. Under these
conditions there is no need to keep the protocols in the Turkish
Parliament. These protocols lost all meaning after March 4.
The United States, which advises us to improve relations with Armenia
and always declares its commitment to democratic values, grossly
violated the very principles of a vote and adopted a decision on the
so-called "genocide." This decision completely ruined the protocol
process.
The media have recently been discussing the Turkish-Russian warming
and bilateral cooperation in the nuclear field. Is it possible that
the U.S. took this step because of dissatisfaction with the process
to put pressure on Turkey?
Turkey has a good relationship with Russia and they are improving. But
cooperation between the two countries in the nuclear field is
irrelevant. I do not think that Russia wants Turkey to become a
nuclear power. On the other hand, the U.S. is seriously concerned
over Iran's nuclear program and is doing everything necessary to stop
these programs. At that point, Turkey does not want to create another
crisis engaging in a nuclear issue.
But the U.S. has plans to deploy missiles in Turkey. It wanted to
deploy missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. But
Russia objected, and the States abandoned the idea. Now they have an
idea to deploy missiles in Anatolia. They attribute it to hypothetical
threats from Russia. But, in fact, these missiles are intended for
Iran, but not Russia.
Turkey should not allow the U.S. to use its territory as a springboard
for attacks on Iran. Iran is our closest neighbor and friendly country
for Turkey. I am against U.S. intentions to threaten Turkey's neighbors
with missiles located in Anatolia or military ships in the Aegean
Sea. Certainly, Turkey will reject U.S. plans to deploy missiles.
Following the decision by U.S. House Congress committee, there were
proposals to close the Incirlik base and withdraw soldiers from
Afghanistan...
It's too much. To voice our protest, we recalled ambassador to
Washington, reminded the U.S. of a need to return Turkey's debts and
explained that we can refuse to participate in the Iranian campaign.
This can include also withdrawal of the protocols from the parliament.
I think that this will suffice for today. We cannot use all the cards
at once. In any case, it is not necessary to become enemies with the
United States because of the decision on the so-called "genocide".
Simply, everyone should understand his own mistake.