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HOPES DIM FOR NORMALIZATION OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-279592-hopes-dim-for-normalization-of-turkish-armenian-relations.html
May 7 2012
Turkey
As Armenians headed to the polls on Sunday, expectations were low
that new life would be breathed into an unratified deal signed by the
foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia in 2009 to normalize relations.
Armenian officials and politicians accuse Turkey of holding the
ratification process hostage through its insistence that Armenia must
first agree to a solution to the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh issue
as a precondition for normalization.
Armenian Parliament head Samvel Nikoyan, who spoke to Turkish
reporters who came to Armenia as part of the program sponsored by
the Hrant Dink Foundation and the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Association
accused Turkey's policy of threatening the process, remarking: "We are
seeing that any kind of provision, especially the precondition of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as devastating the process of talks. To
move talks forward ... it's necessary that we vote on the protocols
without preconditions."
Galust Sahakyan, leader of the Republican Party of Armenia
parliamentary faction, meanwhile, indicated that Armenian leaders had
their own red lines that will take priority over the reconciliation
pact, stating to the press, "For us, the Karabakh problem and the
genocide issue are more important than a restart in relations with
Turkey."
Nonetheless, Sahakyan said he thinks of Turkey as the key to solving
the region's most pressing problems, saying of the protocol's future:
"We aren't going to take any steps back. But if Turkey announces
that it is withdrawing officially from the protocol, we will also do
what's necessary."
Armenia's third-largest expected winner at this year's election,
the Heritage Party, meanwhile, indicated that it was against the
protocol, with party leader Raffi Hovannisian stating that it was
necessary to restart the talks without preconditions. "If Turkey
insists on preconditions, the Armenian side will have to develop a
symmetric response."
Nikoyan, commenting on the deadlock before the elections, said the
disagreements still do not constitute a major rift between the two
countries. "In a situation in which there are no official diplomatic
relations and the border is closed, our communications are strong. At
this moment commerce isn't being supported, but we know there's the
potential for [re-establishing] trade. There are Turkish businessmen
in Armenia, and Armenian businessmen in Turkey."
Richard Giragosian of the Regional Studies Center also said the rift
was less formidable than portrayed, noting, "I am optimistic about
Armenian-Turkish normalization."
Indicating that significant pressure exists to re-establish relations
before the 100th anniversary of the Armenian massacres in 2015,
Giragosian said, "It's possible that some of the unofficial diplomatic
ties will be made more official." Giragosian believes that the Turkish
Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, could be accredited by Yerevan or that
relations could be formally established through the Swiss Embassy
there. He also suggested that certain border gates could be opened.
Such measures are not without cost, however, and Giragosian warns
that they could meet heavy opposition in Azerbaijan.
Eurasia Partnership Foundation Country Director Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan,
meanwhile, speculated that the prospective relations change would
be tied to changes in Armenia's government. "The elections can in
the medium run create new chances if the government changes and new
and more energetic people come to power who are ready to engage more
vocally in international organizations and thus induce Turkey to take
some steps with regard to confidence-building measures," he stated.
"I think the Turkish governments' statements are sometimes too
emotional, just like the Armenians, and more calm pragmatism is needed
on both sides," he added.
Turkish-Armenian relations also appear imperiled by Armenia's continued
appeal to territorial rights over territories possessed by Turkey. In
the elections run-up, Nikoyan stated that for Armenia Mount Ararat
must remain as one of the state's symbols. Calls for recognition
of the 1915 killings of Armenians as genocide also remain high on
politicians' priorities.
The coming 100th anniversary of that event is also likely to upset
relations between the two countries, with analysts predicting that
2015 will see major demonstrations, especially among Turkey's minority
Armenian community.
Russia-Turkey balance
Turkey and Armenia's renewed push to negotiate an opening of the
border gates between the two countries might also be viewed in
the framework of the latter's close ties to Russia. According to
Giragosian, Armenia remains "tied to a fundamental degree to Russia."
An Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)
official, who asked not to be named, said Armenia should strive to be
"small and transparent" in the future. "In foreign policy, they're
going to try to develop close relations with the EU and the West."
Ter-Gabrielyan agreed. "In the times to come, Russian interest is
going to diminish even further because Armenia is getting closer and
closer to Europe," he commented.
Commenting on the possibility of starting Turkish-Armenian
normalization process, Salpi Ghazarian, director of The Civilitas
Foundation, based in Yerevan said "I dont know if it will. Because
it is in Turkey's hand"
From: Baghdasarian
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-279592-hopes-dim-for-normalization-of-turkish-armenian-relations.html
May 7 2012
Turkey
As Armenians headed to the polls on Sunday, expectations were low
that new life would be breathed into an unratified deal signed by the
foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia in 2009 to normalize relations.
Armenian officials and politicians accuse Turkey of holding the
ratification process hostage through its insistence that Armenia must
first agree to a solution to the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh issue
as a precondition for normalization.
Armenian Parliament head Samvel Nikoyan, who spoke to Turkish
reporters who came to Armenia as part of the program sponsored by
the Hrant Dink Foundation and the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Association
accused Turkey's policy of threatening the process, remarking: "We are
seeing that any kind of provision, especially the precondition of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as devastating the process of talks. To
move talks forward ... it's necessary that we vote on the protocols
without preconditions."
Galust Sahakyan, leader of the Republican Party of Armenia
parliamentary faction, meanwhile, indicated that Armenian leaders had
their own red lines that will take priority over the reconciliation
pact, stating to the press, "For us, the Karabakh problem and the
genocide issue are more important than a restart in relations with
Turkey."
Nonetheless, Sahakyan said he thinks of Turkey as the key to solving
the region's most pressing problems, saying of the protocol's future:
"We aren't going to take any steps back. But if Turkey announces
that it is withdrawing officially from the protocol, we will also do
what's necessary."
Armenia's third-largest expected winner at this year's election,
the Heritage Party, meanwhile, indicated that it was against the
protocol, with party leader Raffi Hovannisian stating that it was
necessary to restart the talks without preconditions. "If Turkey
insists on preconditions, the Armenian side will have to develop a
symmetric response."
Nikoyan, commenting on the deadlock before the elections, said the
disagreements still do not constitute a major rift between the two
countries. "In a situation in which there are no official diplomatic
relations and the border is closed, our communications are strong. At
this moment commerce isn't being supported, but we know there's the
potential for [re-establishing] trade. There are Turkish businessmen
in Armenia, and Armenian businessmen in Turkey."
Richard Giragosian of the Regional Studies Center also said the rift
was less formidable than portrayed, noting, "I am optimistic about
Armenian-Turkish normalization."
Indicating that significant pressure exists to re-establish relations
before the 100th anniversary of the Armenian massacres in 2015,
Giragosian said, "It's possible that some of the unofficial diplomatic
ties will be made more official." Giragosian believes that the Turkish
Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, could be accredited by Yerevan or that
relations could be formally established through the Swiss Embassy
there. He also suggested that certain border gates could be opened.
Such measures are not without cost, however, and Giragosian warns
that they could meet heavy opposition in Azerbaijan.
Eurasia Partnership Foundation Country Director Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan,
meanwhile, speculated that the prospective relations change would
be tied to changes in Armenia's government. "The elections can in
the medium run create new chances if the government changes and new
and more energetic people come to power who are ready to engage more
vocally in international organizations and thus induce Turkey to take
some steps with regard to confidence-building measures," he stated.
"I think the Turkish governments' statements are sometimes too
emotional, just like the Armenians, and more calm pragmatism is needed
on both sides," he added.
Turkish-Armenian relations also appear imperiled by Armenia's continued
appeal to territorial rights over territories possessed by Turkey. In
the elections run-up, Nikoyan stated that for Armenia Mount Ararat
must remain as one of the state's symbols. Calls for recognition
of the 1915 killings of Armenians as genocide also remain high on
politicians' priorities.
The coming 100th anniversary of that event is also likely to upset
relations between the two countries, with analysts predicting that
2015 will see major demonstrations, especially among Turkey's minority
Armenian community.
Russia-Turkey balance
Turkey and Armenia's renewed push to negotiate an opening of the
border gates between the two countries might also be viewed in
the framework of the latter's close ties to Russia. According to
Giragosian, Armenia remains "tied to a fundamental degree to Russia."
An Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)
official, who asked not to be named, said Armenia should strive to be
"small and transparent" in the future. "In foreign policy, they're
going to try to develop close relations with the EU and the West."
Ter-Gabrielyan agreed. "In the times to come, Russian interest is
going to diminish even further because Armenia is getting closer and
closer to Europe," he commented.
Commenting on the possibility of starting Turkish-Armenian
normalization process, Salpi Ghazarian, director of The Civilitas
Foundation, based in Yerevan said "I dont know if it will. Because
it is in Turkey's hand"
From: Baghdasarian