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THE MISSING SIXTH FLAG AT THE BAKU TURKISH MARTYRS' MEMORIAL
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnistDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=255213
Aug 28, 2011
Turkey
On Oct 10, 2009, at a meeting in Zurich, Turkey and Armenia agreed
to a protocol that would normalize their bilateral relations. The
process of normalization, known as soccer diplomacy, began four
days after the Zurich accords at a soccer game between the Turkish
and Armenian national squads in Bursa on Oct 14, 2009, and did not
satisfy the parties involved, including Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Turkey and Azerbaijan couldn't entirely get past a crisis caused by
the decision not to allow Azeri flags in the stadium during the game.
The day after the game, the Turkish Martyrdom Mosque in Baku was shut
down. The Turkish flags at the Baku Turkish Martyrs' Memorial were
lowered by a decision of the governor of Baku. Ten of the original
12 flags at the memorial (six Turkish and six Azeri), representing
the five burial sites of Turkish martyrs in Baku (Å~^eki, Å~^amahı,
MaÅ~_tafa, Göycay and Neftcala), with the exception of the one
representing the Turkish Martyrs' Memorial itself, were reinstated just
prior to the official visit of the Turkish parliamentary commission
chair Murat Mercan to Azerbaijan on Oct 27, 2009. However, the two
flags (one Azeri and one Turkish) representing the Baku Turkish
Martyrs' Memorial, remained down despite Ankara's efforts.
Azerbaijan has some expectations of Turkey. It wants Turkey not
to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia as long as the Armenian
occupation in Nagorno-Karabakh persists, not to open the border
gates between Turkey and Armenia and not to ratify the protocols. In
addition, Baku expects Turkey to stand against criticisms from the
OSCE and the Council of Europe of the democratization efforts in
Azerbaijan. The Azeri administration further wants Turkey's support
for its campaign against Armenia, as part of which it claims that
genocide has been committed against Azeri people in Hojali. Baku has
asked the Turkish parliament to define the massacre in that city as
a crime against humanity.
Turkey supports a solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh issue consistent
with the preservation of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. To
this end, it favors a peaceful resolution and settlement based on
dialogue between the parties involved. Turkey also extends support
to the negotiation process as a member of the Minsk Group set up
under the auspices of the OSCE for the settlement of the dispute. It
maintains close contact with the US, France and the Russian Federation,
which serve as the co-chairs of the Minsk Group.
Ankara's current position suggests that resumption of diplomatic
relations between Turkey and Armenia and opening of the border
gates depends on the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from Azeri
territories. However, the unconditional support that Ankara extends to
Azerbaijan is not appreciated by Baku. The Azeri administration fails
to make a sufficient contribution to improving the relationship between
the two countries. Baku does not care about the probable repercussions
and costs associated with the recognition of their genocide allegations
or the positive contribution the normalization of Turkey and Armenia's
relationship would make to the attainment of its goals.
We need to point out the flaws in the approaches of both Ankara and
Baku, but we cannot possibly devise new policies by blaming either
Ankara or Baku. Even though they are both victimized by Yerevan's
policies, Ankara and Baku did not draft a common policy on Armenia
and the Armenian Diaspora. They have not considered the creation
of a joint research institute focusing on the development of common
policies and strategies. They have not held joint meetings or workshops
on a periodical basis. No solution to the problems between Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Armenia will be reached if all parties remain silent
and inactive. We need movement toward a lasting peace in the South
Caucasus.
It would be a good start to reinstate the missing sixth flag at
the Baku Turkish Martyrs' Memorial, which was lowered prior to the
initial meeting of the Turkish-Azeri High Level Strategic Council,
as the first step toward a new era in the relationship between the
two brother nations.
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnistDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=255213
Aug 28, 2011
Turkey
On Oct 10, 2009, at a meeting in Zurich, Turkey and Armenia agreed
to a protocol that would normalize their bilateral relations. The
process of normalization, known as soccer diplomacy, began four
days after the Zurich accords at a soccer game between the Turkish
and Armenian national squads in Bursa on Oct 14, 2009, and did not
satisfy the parties involved, including Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Turkey and Azerbaijan couldn't entirely get past a crisis caused by
the decision not to allow Azeri flags in the stadium during the game.
The day after the game, the Turkish Martyrdom Mosque in Baku was shut
down. The Turkish flags at the Baku Turkish Martyrs' Memorial were
lowered by a decision of the governor of Baku. Ten of the original
12 flags at the memorial (six Turkish and six Azeri), representing
the five burial sites of Turkish martyrs in Baku (Å~^eki, Å~^amahı,
MaÅ~_tafa, Göycay and Neftcala), with the exception of the one
representing the Turkish Martyrs' Memorial itself, were reinstated just
prior to the official visit of the Turkish parliamentary commission
chair Murat Mercan to Azerbaijan on Oct 27, 2009. However, the two
flags (one Azeri and one Turkish) representing the Baku Turkish
Martyrs' Memorial, remained down despite Ankara's efforts.
Azerbaijan has some expectations of Turkey. It wants Turkey not
to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia as long as the Armenian
occupation in Nagorno-Karabakh persists, not to open the border
gates between Turkey and Armenia and not to ratify the protocols. In
addition, Baku expects Turkey to stand against criticisms from the
OSCE and the Council of Europe of the democratization efforts in
Azerbaijan. The Azeri administration further wants Turkey's support
for its campaign against Armenia, as part of which it claims that
genocide has been committed against Azeri people in Hojali. Baku has
asked the Turkish parliament to define the massacre in that city as
a crime against humanity.
Turkey supports a solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh issue consistent
with the preservation of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. To
this end, it favors a peaceful resolution and settlement based on
dialogue between the parties involved. Turkey also extends support
to the negotiation process as a member of the Minsk Group set up
under the auspices of the OSCE for the settlement of the dispute. It
maintains close contact with the US, France and the Russian Federation,
which serve as the co-chairs of the Minsk Group.
Ankara's current position suggests that resumption of diplomatic
relations between Turkey and Armenia and opening of the border
gates depends on the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from Azeri
territories. However, the unconditional support that Ankara extends to
Azerbaijan is not appreciated by Baku. The Azeri administration fails
to make a sufficient contribution to improving the relationship between
the two countries. Baku does not care about the probable repercussions
and costs associated with the recognition of their genocide allegations
or the positive contribution the normalization of Turkey and Armenia's
relationship would make to the attainment of its goals.
We need to point out the flaws in the approaches of both Ankara and
Baku, but we cannot possibly devise new policies by blaming either
Ankara or Baku. Even though they are both victimized by Yerevan's
policies, Ankara and Baku did not draft a common policy on Armenia
and the Armenian Diaspora. They have not considered the creation
of a joint research institute focusing on the development of common
policies and strategies. They have not held joint meetings or workshops
on a periodical basis. No solution to the problems between Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Armenia will be reached if all parties remain silent
and inactive. We need movement toward a lasting peace in the South
Caucasus.
It would be a good start to reinstate the missing sixth flag at
the Baku Turkish Martyrs' Memorial, which was lowered prior to the
initial meeting of the Turkish-Azeri High Level Strategic Council,
as the first step toward a new era in the relationship between the
two brother nations.