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Dennis Sammut: Turkey is trying to break out of straitjacket
by Emmanuil Lazarian
ARMINFO
Saturday, December 14, 15:31
Davitoglu's three pillar policy is significant. It shows that Turkey
is trying to break out of the straitjacket that it found itself in
when it back-tracked over the 2009 protocols because of the sharp
opposition of Azerbaijan to any deal with Armenia prior to a Karabakh
settlement, says Dennis Sammut, Commonspace.eu political editor.
He believes that Turkey needs a Caucasus policy that recognizes both
its immediate interests but also takes into account the fact that
Turkey has historical baggage in the region and must therefore proceed
prudently.
"The three pillars policy is based on the concept that the problems of
the region need to be addressed comprehensively, and not by piecemeal
methods, even if different tactics need to be used for different
situations. Turkey is right to pursue this policy, as long as it also
understands that it needs to bring in early other key international
players, such as Russia, the EU and the US if such a policy is ever to
have any chance of success. Turkey's proximity to the region, and its
influence, which is not insignificant, does however allow Turkey to
take a leading role in the process," Sammut says.
He continues that in Yerevan Davitoglu also touched on the issue of
the events of 1915. "The anniversary of the atrocities that are often
characterized as genocide of the Armenian people in the last years of
the Ottoman Empire may inflame passions on both sides, since there is
certainly no agreement on how to read this unsavoury page of history.
Yet it may also provide an opportunity for dialogue and
reconciliation. Davitoglu told journalists in Yerevan that Turkish
diplomats now have instructions to engage in dialogue with Armenian
diaspora communities, many of whom are descendants of victims of the
1915 events. All this is positive. Turkey needs to be encouraged in
its initiatives as long as it pursues them with good intentions and
with the broad support of the international community," says Sammut.
From: A. Papazian
by Emmanuil Lazarian
ARMINFO
Saturday, December 14, 15:31
Davitoglu's three pillar policy is significant. It shows that Turkey
is trying to break out of the straitjacket that it found itself in
when it back-tracked over the 2009 protocols because of the sharp
opposition of Azerbaijan to any deal with Armenia prior to a Karabakh
settlement, says Dennis Sammut, Commonspace.eu political editor.
He believes that Turkey needs a Caucasus policy that recognizes both
its immediate interests but also takes into account the fact that
Turkey has historical baggage in the region and must therefore proceed
prudently.
"The three pillars policy is based on the concept that the problems of
the region need to be addressed comprehensively, and not by piecemeal
methods, even if different tactics need to be used for different
situations. Turkey is right to pursue this policy, as long as it also
understands that it needs to bring in early other key international
players, such as Russia, the EU and the US if such a policy is ever to
have any chance of success. Turkey's proximity to the region, and its
influence, which is not insignificant, does however allow Turkey to
take a leading role in the process," Sammut says.
He continues that in Yerevan Davitoglu also touched on the issue of
the events of 1915. "The anniversary of the atrocities that are often
characterized as genocide of the Armenian people in the last years of
the Ottoman Empire may inflame passions on both sides, since there is
certainly no agreement on how to read this unsavoury page of history.
Yet it may also provide an opportunity for dialogue and
reconciliation. Davitoglu told journalists in Yerevan that Turkish
diplomats now have instructions to engage in dialogue with Armenian
diaspora communities, many of whom are descendants of victims of the
1915 events. All this is positive. Turkey needs to be encouraged in
its initiatives as long as it pursues them with good intentions and
with the broad support of the international community," says Sammut.
From: A. Papazian