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SWISS AND TURKISH PRESIDENTS SEEK SOLUTIONS
by Ariane Bonzon
swissinfo.ch
Nov 25 2010
Switzerland
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Swiss counterpart Doris Leuthard
will officially discuss "current issues" on his two-day state visit
to Switzerland.
In practice, this means the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh between
Armenia and Azerbaijan which is holding up the ratification of
a landmark deal signed by Turkey and rival Armenia in Zurich 13
months ago.
Gul - who is always seen smiling and likes to remind people that
his name means "rose", as in the flower, in Turkish - is generally
considered more conciliatory than the forthright Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
But when it comes to the contentious issue of Turkey and Armenia,
not much separates the two.
Swiss-Turkish relations became strained back in 2003, when the cantonal
parliament of Vaud recognised as genocide the killing of more than
1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the
20th century. Geneva and the House of Representatives followed suit.
In response, Ankara withdrew an invitation for Foreign Minister
Micheline Calmy-Rey to visit the country. But relations have much
improved since then.
Global player Gul comes to Switzerland on Thursday with good cards:
at home the Turkish government is enjoying economic and political
success. The only snag is Ankara's diplomatic U-turn on the treaty
signed with Armenia in Zurich in October 2009.
What's more, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
strengthened its diplomatic position on September 12 when voters
approved 26 amendments to Turkey's constitution, written in the
aftermath of a 1982 military coup.
The Turkish economy has largely resisted the economic and financial
crisis: growth rose to 5.6 per cent in 2009 and Turkey has become an
essential part of the regional and global energy policy. At the end
of last year Switzerland signed a deal in Istanbul for the delivery
of energy resources from the Caspian Sea and Iran via Turkey.
Welcomed at the heart of the G20 - unlike Switzerland - Turkey is
asserting itself among the emerging powers.
Turkey doesn't have any simmering anger with Switzerland, but there
is a running battle going on with France and Germany, both of whom
vociferously oppose Turkish integration in the European Union.
Foreign strategy Not to mention dynamic Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu, whose doctrine of "problem-free strategic depth" with his
neighbours has resulted in mixed success (good marks with Russia, Iraq,
Syria, Serbia and Russia; not so good with Israel and Cyprus). But
the intention - albeit occasionally a little naive - is good.
It was in this spirit - following years of negotiations and clandestine
meetings - that the Turkish government signed the so-called Zurich
Protocols in October 2009.
These aimed to re-establish diplomatic relations between Turkey and
Armenia and re-open the border, closed by Turkey in 1993 following
the Armenian occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in Azerbaijan.
Problem solving If Davutoglu was hoping for a "problem-free"
relationship with his Armenian neighbours, he had forgotten the
latter's "problem-full" relationship with Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijan government came out against the Zurich deal and any
normalisation between Turkey and Armenia which would deprive them
of a means of pressurising Armenia and would confirm the occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Initially a close ally of Turkey, Azerbaijan threatened to turn
off the gas taps. Faced with this pressure, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
made a U-turn the day after signing the protocols and linked their
ratification to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
Officially, Armenia froze the process, but Leuthard and Gul have
recently let it be known that confidential talks would continue.
Some people with knowledge of the dossiers say it is not out of the
question that the Turkish government could ratify the protocols after
its probable victory in next year's general election.
Gul could ask Switzerland - together with the United States, which
is looking to limit Russian influence in the region - to help it
find a solution that is acceptable to both Turkey and Azerbaijan,
Switzerland's other important energy partner.
However such a request is likely to be contested. Sarkis Shahinian,
head of the Swiss-Armenian Association, has commented that "Switzerland
shouldn't fall into this trap".
The Nagorno-Karabakh question should be kept separate to the 2009
accord, which "should not include preconditions", he said.
Ariane Bonzon, swissinfo.ch (Adapted from French by Thomas Stephens)
From: A. Papazian
by Ariane Bonzon
swissinfo.ch
Nov 25 2010
Switzerland
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Swiss counterpart Doris Leuthard
will officially discuss "current issues" on his two-day state visit
to Switzerland.
In practice, this means the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh between
Armenia and Azerbaijan which is holding up the ratification of
a landmark deal signed by Turkey and rival Armenia in Zurich 13
months ago.
Gul - who is always seen smiling and likes to remind people that
his name means "rose", as in the flower, in Turkish - is generally
considered more conciliatory than the forthright Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
But when it comes to the contentious issue of Turkey and Armenia,
not much separates the two.
Swiss-Turkish relations became strained back in 2003, when the cantonal
parliament of Vaud recognised as genocide the killing of more than
1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the
20th century. Geneva and the House of Representatives followed suit.
In response, Ankara withdrew an invitation for Foreign Minister
Micheline Calmy-Rey to visit the country. But relations have much
improved since then.
Global player Gul comes to Switzerland on Thursday with good cards:
at home the Turkish government is enjoying economic and political
success. The only snag is Ankara's diplomatic U-turn on the treaty
signed with Armenia in Zurich in October 2009.
What's more, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
strengthened its diplomatic position on September 12 when voters
approved 26 amendments to Turkey's constitution, written in the
aftermath of a 1982 military coup.
The Turkish economy has largely resisted the economic and financial
crisis: growth rose to 5.6 per cent in 2009 and Turkey has become an
essential part of the regional and global energy policy. At the end
of last year Switzerland signed a deal in Istanbul for the delivery
of energy resources from the Caspian Sea and Iran via Turkey.
Welcomed at the heart of the G20 - unlike Switzerland - Turkey is
asserting itself among the emerging powers.
Turkey doesn't have any simmering anger with Switzerland, but there
is a running battle going on with France and Germany, both of whom
vociferously oppose Turkish integration in the European Union.
Foreign strategy Not to mention dynamic Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu, whose doctrine of "problem-free strategic depth" with his
neighbours has resulted in mixed success (good marks with Russia, Iraq,
Syria, Serbia and Russia; not so good with Israel and Cyprus). But
the intention - albeit occasionally a little naive - is good.
It was in this spirit - following years of negotiations and clandestine
meetings - that the Turkish government signed the so-called Zurich
Protocols in October 2009.
These aimed to re-establish diplomatic relations between Turkey and
Armenia and re-open the border, closed by Turkey in 1993 following
the Armenian occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in Azerbaijan.
Problem solving If Davutoglu was hoping for a "problem-free"
relationship with his Armenian neighbours, he had forgotten the
latter's "problem-full" relationship with Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijan government came out against the Zurich deal and any
normalisation between Turkey and Armenia which would deprive them
of a means of pressurising Armenia and would confirm the occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Initially a close ally of Turkey, Azerbaijan threatened to turn
off the gas taps. Faced with this pressure, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
made a U-turn the day after signing the protocols and linked their
ratification to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
Officially, Armenia froze the process, but Leuthard and Gul have
recently let it be known that confidential talks would continue.
Some people with knowledge of the dossiers say it is not out of the
question that the Turkish government could ratify the protocols after
its probable victory in next year's general election.
Gul could ask Switzerland - together with the United States, which
is looking to limit Russian influence in the region - to help it
find a solution that is acceptable to both Turkey and Azerbaijan,
Switzerland's other important energy partner.
However such a request is likely to be contested. Sarkis Shahinian,
head of the Swiss-Armenian Association, has commented that "Switzerland
shouldn't fall into this trap".
The Nagorno-Karabakh question should be kept separate to the 2009
accord, which "should not include preconditions", he said.
Ariane Bonzon, swissinfo.ch (Adapted from French by Thomas Stephens)
From: A. Papazian