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  • BAKU: Turkish MP: Turkey May Refuse To Establish Relations With Arme

    TURKISH MP: TURKEY MAY REFUSE TO ESTABLISH RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA IF U.S. EXERTS PRESSURE TO RATIFY PROTOCOLS

    Today
    http://www.today.az/news/turkey/6 4139.html
    March 16 2010
    Azerbaijan

    Day.Az interview with Member of the Grand National Assembly of
    Turkey (Parliament) from the ruling Justice and Development Party,
    Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Affairs
    Mehmet Ceylan.

    How do you assess the move by the U.S. Congress House Committee on
    Foreign Relations to pass the Resolution 252 labeling the 1915 events
    in the Ottoman Empire as "genocide"?

    It should be noted that the "genocide" resolution is very inappropriate
    and absurd project. The resolution was adopted by a margin of only one
    vote. But, anyway, this is a dangerous process. The voting procedure
    showed that the Armenian lobby can achieve its goal through pressure
    on the Congress where Democrats, who are supporters of the "iron
    democracy", make up majority.

    In fact, it was a very unpleasant scene for the United States. The
    actions of the U.S. Democrats can be considered "black spot" in the
    history of American democracy. President Barack Obama, being aware
    of this, announced that he would try to ensure that the project is
    not debated by the House of Representatives. So, I think that the U.S.

    will no longer take risks and bring up the resolution for discussions
    by the full House. In addition, the United States is well aware that
    Turkey plays an important role in regional peacekeeping programs.

    Turkey is one of the great and powerful regional states.

    The "genocide" resolution has caused deep resentment in the Turkish
    society. The U.S. analysts emphasize that the reaction of the Turkish
    public will be even stronger if the resolution gets Full House vote.

    The U.S. ambassador to Turkey in his turn announced that this
    resolution will not bring benefit to anyone, but cause damage to
    relations between the U.S. and Turkey. This shows that the U.S. public
    is not resolute in the issue of "genocide" and they have no unified
    position.

    It was the U.S. which asked Turkey to contribute to normalization of
    relations in the Caucasus. It considered resolving problems between
    Turkey and Armenia as a first step to normalize ties. But instead of
    normalizing ties, the U.S. added fuel to the fire. If Americans wish
    to normalize relations in the region, they have to replace their
    tinderbox with barrel of water. I do not think that the U.S. will
    continue the path leading to deterioration of relations with Turkey.

    It is believed that the "Armenian genocide" resolution was adopted in
    an attempt to exert pressure on Turkey to ratify the Turkish-Armenian
    protocols. Do you share this opinion?

    When we talk about normalization of relations in the Caucasus,
    primarily we have in mind relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but
    not the Turkish-Armenian relations. We began to normalize relations
    with Armenia to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and liberate
    occupied territories of fraternal Azerbaijan. We thought that problems
    with the Armenians can be solved at negotiating table. There will be
    no peace, stability and cooperation in the Caucasus while Karabakh
    problem remains unresolved.

    Turkey along with Russia is a country with an opportunity to influence
    ongoing processes in the Caucasus. Once Turkey can contribute to peace
    process in the Caucasus, why not to do this? The U.S. is mistaken
    if it thinks that by discussing this resolution it can put pressure
    on Turkey to achieve ratification of the protocols. Turkey is not a
    country to cede under pressure. Turkey is the most powerful country in
    the region and it should be the country that makes terms. If the U.S.

    exerts pressure on Turkey because of the protocols, Turkey will
    refuse to establish relations with Armenia. Then Turkey will think
    about other options to establish peace in the Caucasus.

    The Turkish opposition calls for withdrawal from the Turkish-Armenian
    protocols. The protocols are in your commission at the moment. Will
    you discuss the protocols following the recent events?

    The fact that the issue of "genocide" has been raised once again proves
    Armenia's insincerity in relations with Turkey. The Turkish-Armenian
    protocols envisage consideration of "genocide" by a commission of
    historians, but not on political arena. As strange as it may seem,
    the United States, which was involved in refining the text of the
    protocols, adopted a political decision on the "genocide". So,
    protocols should be discussed once again. Today, the protocols are
    widely discussed in Turkey. I think withdrawal from the protocols
    at this stage may further aggravate the situation. We must wait for
    a favourable situation. In any case, we do not want to be a country
    that will bury the protocols. Let the whole world see who and what
    impede normalization of relations.

    There is an opinion that Armenia has made three steps against
    the normalization of relations: the well-known decision of the
    Constitutional Court of Armenia, the "genocide" resolution and the
    lack of progress in terms of liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani
    territories. Does the Turkish leadership plan to discuss these issues
    with Armenia again?

    As far as I know, the Turkish leadership is not in contact with
    Armenia on this issue. Armenia often blamed Turkey for the delay
    in ratification of the protocols. However, after the "genocide"
    resolution was passed, Armenia became silent and does not push Turkey
    any longer. The Armenian authorities have certainly understood their
    contradictory policies. I think Turkey will eventually return to the
    issue of Turkish-Armenian protocols. But the whole situation must be
    clarified first.
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