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ARMENIA DELEGATION DISAPPOINTED WITH ISTANBUL SYMPOSIUM TO REVITALIZE ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT: GIRAGOSIAN
epress.am
11.01.2011
A two-day symposium entitled "The Normalization Process between Turkey
and Armenia: Prospects for Revitalization" took place in Istanbul
last week with the participation of about 30 well-known academics
and experts from Turkey and Armenia, as well as from other countries.
The symposium aimed to explore the dynamics of the Armenia-Turkey
rapprochement process in 2008-2009, the factors that led to the
current stalemate, as well as the prospects for the revitalization of
the normalization process. Participants were expected to examine the
evolution of the rapprochement by focusing on its intergovernmental
as well as civil society dimensions, as well as to analyze the current
state of the normalization process by not only exploring the positions
of the parties, but also situating the process into the relevant
regional and international context.
The symposium also happened to coincide with the day in 1923 when
Turkey declared itself a republic (Oct. 29).
Participating in the symposium from Armenia were military and
political analyst Richard Giragosian (pictured); Caucasus Institute
Director Alexander Iskandaryan, Human Rights and Conflicts Research
Institute NGO President Armen Melkonyan and head of the Political
Studies Department at the Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan.
Richard Giragosian shared his impressions of the symposium and
his prospects for Armenian-Turkish relations with editor of the
Istanbul-based IMC TV Aris Nalci, particularly noting that the
delegation from Armenia was somewhat frustrated and disappointed
after the symposium.
Giragosian said though the conference was organized by two leading
universities in Ankara with the support of Turkey's Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, and aimed to find new ways of revitalizing the
normalization process, but it seems clear that this conference
reaffirmed two realities: the first, Armenian-Turkish normalization
is no longer a priority for Turkey, and second, Turkey is once again
attempting to "repackage" a precondition over Nagorno-Karabakh with
Armenian-Turkish diplomacy.
"Despite the fact that both the US and Russia, as well as the EU have
made it clear there is no reference to Karabakh within the Protocols.
And to attempt at this late stage to re-link the issues is unhelpful
at best and insincere at worst. So what we see is Turkey seems rather
insincere and in danger of being perceived as an unreliable and unready
interlocutor for Armenia," he said, adding that it's unfortunate
because "we have a window of opportunity that is now closing."
The analyst pointed out that all expectations and the burden are on
Turkey, as "Armenia has done everything it can and more."
On the matter of normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations, Giragosian
highlighted Azerbaijan's role, saying that though Azerbaijan has no
place in the dialogue between the two states, it does, however, have
great power over Turkey. In his opinion, this is a problem Turkey
has to deal with, just as the Armenian Genocide is a problem Turkey
has to deal with.
"The Azerbaijan issue has become a domestic Turkish political issue,"
he added.
Speaking about the effectiveness of the discussions held in Istanbul,
Giragosian said that such meetings are very important ("the dialogue
of normalization needs to continue") as they sustain the momentum
of "Track 2 Diplomacy" between Armenia and Turkey, "to prepare the
groundwork for when the states are ready to recommit."
"What we're also doing is correcting a mistake from the Protocols. The
mistake was neither Turkey nor Armenia did enough to prepare public
opinion for normalization," he said.
Asked by Nalci what Armenia's next steps might be, Giragosian said:
"We can continue to pressure the Turkish side and to keep the Armenian
side willing and ready to move forward. But at the same time what
we can do is what we're doing - Track 2 diplomacy in terms of civil
society engagement, to actually sustain this momentum... Just the
fact that we're coming and going to each other's countries, just
the fact that the Genocide issue is no longer taboo means that we
need to recognize and build on the progress we have made to date,"
he explained.
If Turkey doesn't respond to Armenia's move, if there is no
rapprochement, what might Armenia's policy be? asked Nalci.
"Well, unfortunately, what concerns me from a civil society point
of view is that Turkey seems to fail to recognize the fact that
patience on the Armenian side is not without limit. And a policy of
preconditions is bold by the Armenian side but without reciprocal
measures from the Turkish side it's a dangerous political policy that
may change. And the real pressure Turkey faces is 2015, the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide... I'm just worried that if the
stars don't align again and normalization doesn't return to Track 1
state level, there is a bigger danger that next time we try this it
will be that much harder," Giragosian concluded.
epress.am
11.01.2011
A two-day symposium entitled "The Normalization Process between Turkey
and Armenia: Prospects for Revitalization" took place in Istanbul
last week with the participation of about 30 well-known academics
and experts from Turkey and Armenia, as well as from other countries.
The symposium aimed to explore the dynamics of the Armenia-Turkey
rapprochement process in 2008-2009, the factors that led to the
current stalemate, as well as the prospects for the revitalization of
the normalization process. Participants were expected to examine the
evolution of the rapprochement by focusing on its intergovernmental
as well as civil society dimensions, as well as to analyze the current
state of the normalization process by not only exploring the positions
of the parties, but also situating the process into the relevant
regional and international context.
The symposium also happened to coincide with the day in 1923 when
Turkey declared itself a republic (Oct. 29).
Participating in the symposium from Armenia were military and
political analyst Richard Giragosian (pictured); Caucasus Institute
Director Alexander Iskandaryan, Human Rights and Conflicts Research
Institute NGO President Armen Melkonyan and head of the Political
Studies Department at the Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan.
Richard Giragosian shared his impressions of the symposium and
his prospects for Armenian-Turkish relations with editor of the
Istanbul-based IMC TV Aris Nalci, particularly noting that the
delegation from Armenia was somewhat frustrated and disappointed
after the symposium.
Giragosian said though the conference was organized by two leading
universities in Ankara with the support of Turkey's Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, and aimed to find new ways of revitalizing the
normalization process, but it seems clear that this conference
reaffirmed two realities: the first, Armenian-Turkish normalization
is no longer a priority for Turkey, and second, Turkey is once again
attempting to "repackage" a precondition over Nagorno-Karabakh with
Armenian-Turkish diplomacy.
"Despite the fact that both the US and Russia, as well as the EU have
made it clear there is no reference to Karabakh within the Protocols.
And to attempt at this late stage to re-link the issues is unhelpful
at best and insincere at worst. So what we see is Turkey seems rather
insincere and in danger of being perceived as an unreliable and unready
interlocutor for Armenia," he said, adding that it's unfortunate
because "we have a window of opportunity that is now closing."
The analyst pointed out that all expectations and the burden are on
Turkey, as "Armenia has done everything it can and more."
On the matter of normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations, Giragosian
highlighted Azerbaijan's role, saying that though Azerbaijan has no
place in the dialogue between the two states, it does, however, have
great power over Turkey. In his opinion, this is a problem Turkey
has to deal with, just as the Armenian Genocide is a problem Turkey
has to deal with.
"The Azerbaijan issue has become a domestic Turkish political issue,"
he added.
Speaking about the effectiveness of the discussions held in Istanbul,
Giragosian said that such meetings are very important ("the dialogue
of normalization needs to continue") as they sustain the momentum
of "Track 2 Diplomacy" between Armenia and Turkey, "to prepare the
groundwork for when the states are ready to recommit."
"What we're also doing is correcting a mistake from the Protocols. The
mistake was neither Turkey nor Armenia did enough to prepare public
opinion for normalization," he said.
Asked by Nalci what Armenia's next steps might be, Giragosian said:
"We can continue to pressure the Turkish side and to keep the Armenian
side willing and ready to move forward. But at the same time what
we can do is what we're doing - Track 2 diplomacy in terms of civil
society engagement, to actually sustain this momentum... Just the
fact that we're coming and going to each other's countries, just
the fact that the Genocide issue is no longer taboo means that we
need to recognize and build on the progress we have made to date,"
he explained.
If Turkey doesn't respond to Armenia's move, if there is no
rapprochement, what might Armenia's policy be? asked Nalci.
"Well, unfortunately, what concerns me from a civil society point
of view is that Turkey seems to fail to recognize the fact that
patience on the Armenian side is not without limit. And a policy of
preconditions is bold by the Armenian side but without reciprocal
measures from the Turkish side it's a dangerous political policy that
may change. And the real pressure Turkey faces is 2015, the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide... I'm just worried that if the
stars don't align again and normalization doesn't return to Track 1
state level, there is a bigger danger that next time we try this it
will be that much harder," Giragosian concluded.