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ANKARA: 'Armenia Ready, Target 2015'

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  • ANKARA: 'Armenia Ready, Target 2015'

    'ARMENIA READY, TARGET 2015'
    by Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu

    Today's Zaman
    http://www.todayszaman.com/news-251131-armenia-ready-target-2015-by-mehmet-fatih-oztarsu*.html
    July 20 2011
    Turkey

    Turkish foreign policy recently intensified its attention on the
    Arab Spring, carrying out extensive diplomatic efforts to secure an
    immediate resolution for the turmoil in the region.

    In addition to developments in the region, the country's relations
    with Israel have become part of the daily political agenda due to last
    year's assault on the Mavi Marmara. On top of that, Turkey turned
    its attention to the independence of Southern Sudan to make sure it
    proceeded in compliance with international law. Lastly, Turkey looked
    to its east and the impact of the state of war between Russia and
    Georgia, analyzing the possible outcome thereof for Turkey.

    Armenia dealt with all these issues from a different angle, but has
    kept a close eye on Turkey's foreign policy. Experts in Armenia have
    warned politicians to make sure they draft policies addressing the
    most pressing and probable developments; whether Southern Sudan sets
    a precedent for the Nagorno-Karabakh region, for instance, or whether
    the Israeli Knesset recognizes the 1915 incident as genocide. Also,
    and Turkey may not be aware of this, but the Vatican has commenced
    a study in which it will document and compile the brutality of the
    deportation by forced marches and the massacres of the Armenians in
    the early 20th century, a project that should be completed by 2015.

    This poses serious challenges for Turkey. It was also announced that
    information gathered during this process will be publicized through
    exhibitions and media publications.

    Armenian politicians who concretized attempts at rapprochement with
    the diaspora teamed up with the opposition to create an international
    commission responsible for the commemoration of the centennial of the
    Armenian genocide. The activities planned by this commission include
    political pressure on Turkey to ensure that it clarifies its stance
    towards the 1915 incidents by 2015. In the initial session of the
    commission, Giro Manoyan, a member of the Dashnak Party's political
    affairs bureau, noted that the matter should be handled from different
    perspectives and that concrete policies should be drafted to this end.

    Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan, on the other hand, noted that
    as people victimized by genocide, they should not ignore the
    victimizations and pains of other nations and that Turkey's policy
    of denial should be addressed effectively. Sarksyan went on to state
    that international politics should be cleared of such policies.

    2015: a common ground for joint action

    In addition to the 2015 goals being taken up pretty seriously by the
    Armenian administration, we also witnessed politicians with a more
    moderate stance towards Turkey. The 2015 goal merely serves as common
    ground for joint action. So far, Sarksyan has made frequent calls for
    the Armenians in the West to invest in his country, but these calls
    were in vain. In the end, Armenia has been alienated from its region
    and, as a consequence, it had to seek cooperation and alignment with
    Russia. From now on, it is imperative for Armenia to establish close
    relations with Turkey, which does not care for the diaspora at all,
    and cherish it.

    However, the attitudes of nationalist groups that hanged Sèvres maps
    all around the streets of Yerevan on the 90th anniversary of the
    Treaty of Sèvres preserve a dual approach. Even Manoyan, with whom I
    spoke during my visit to his party, now holds moderate views. Noting
    that relations with Turkey should be improved without preconditions,
    Manoyan said Armenia has never demanded any Turkish territories so
    far. He is confident that sincere relations will be established
    between the two countries. Manoyan also recalled that his party,
    which traditionally focuses on Eastern Armenians, seeks to gather
    all Armenians in one single homeland and that his country will make
    significant progress once the power of elites in Yerevan diminishes.

    In addition, Manoyan believes that improved relations with Turkey will
    have a great impact on the growth of national welfare and revenues.

    "[The recognition of] genocide is not our priority, but an important
    matter," Manoyan concluded.

    In an interview with the speaker of the Republican Party, Eduard
    Sharmazanov, I was told that, as a party, they pay great attention
    to relations with Turkey, adding that the genocide issue is not
    their priority but an important matter. He also added that they
    are ready to hold negotiations and discussions without any prior
    conditions. Noting that Turkey would do Armenia a great favor if
    it stays out of the Karabakh issue, Sharmazanov argues that a link
    between the Karabakh issue and relations with Turkey is not proper
    and that Karabakh should be liberated and freed.

    Noting that there is a lot of work to be done in making progress in
    bilateral relations with Turkey and that this is indeed a difficult
    task, Sharmazanov finds Russia's warm relations with both Azerbaijan
    and Armenia a reasonable attitude because it is eventually necessary
    to set a balance in the region. Sharmazanov further notes that
    preconditions would not help anyone, that the Turkish side has frozen
    the process [of rapprochement] and that Armenia has picked the easy way
    out [of rapprochement] by asking for dialogue without any conditions.

    The Armenian administration, which has maintained close ties with
    the opposition and the diaspora, will secure support from a number of
    influential actors, including the Vatican and Israel, for its goals to
    be achieved by 2015. Turkey needs to talk directly to Armenia instead
    of the diaspora to create a common ground and take constructive steps
    to ensure rapprochement between the sides. In line with Turkey's
    vision for 2023 that will ensure domestic development, relations with
    the neighboring countries should be improved and problems minimized.

    *Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu is a columnist at the Armenia-based Aravot daily.

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