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2013 marked no progress in Armenia-Turkey relations - expert
15:48 - 04.01.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Ruben Melkonyan, a Turkologist and a
deputy dean at the Yerevan State University's Oriental Studies
Department, summed up 2013 in the light of the Armenia-Turkey
relations, noting that the reconciliation efforts between the two
countries saw neither a progress nor a regress He also shared his
expectations of possible developments in the process.
Mr Melkonyan, do you think 2013 marked a progress in the
Armenia-Turkey relations?
As a matter of fact, 2013 cannot be considered a year of either
achievements or regress in terms of the Armenia-Turkiey relations. It
can be said to be the continuation of the refrozen efforts, as the
process launched with Turkey's non-constructive efforts continued well
into 2013. Turkey's imitation efforts and false statements that the
Armenia-Turkey talks on a secret level, continued last year too, but
they were less intensive and influential, as many came to realize how
baseless they were.
As for the Armenian side, we continued with our objections, dismissing
false statements and making resolute decisions. I have to mention with
satisfaction that I was especially very pleased - as a citizen and a
Turkologist -with our diplomacy's steps during [Turkish FM Ahmet]
Davutoglu's visit because they testified to a higher degree of
maturity and a higher level of experience in the dialogue with Turkey.
So, can we be said to have become more experienced?
The experience of communicating with Turkey, which we had in
2008-2009, is not to be compared with the experience we have today. So
if we derive no benefits from the football diplomacy, we can say at
least that the Armenian diplomacy gained quite a large experience of
communication.
So what were the necessary steps in the bilateral normalization
efforts that the Armenian diplomacy failed to make?
As for the foreign policy aspect of the Armenia-Turkey relations, I
cannot say what we could have done, as we did not have quite a big
arena. So, probably, everything possible was carried out. But as far
as the other component, the domestic situation is concerned, I think
we could have made certain steps. And it isn't now too late to take
action. That's first of all the internal responsibility; knowing
Turkey, preparing informative, scientific materials about the country
and reproducing analytical episodes - these are steps we fail
unfortunately to make. It is desirable for politicians and employees
of the Foreign Ministry to have a higher level of knowledge about
Turkey. To date, we do not even have a university textbook about the
history of Turkey; it is due to be published no earlier than at the
beginning of next year thanks to the joint efforts of the YSU and the
National Academy of Sciences. So the problem is we have a conflict
with Turkey, but we do not even have a textbook to make students
learn. We could have taken such steps in both 2003 and 2013; but
nothing has been done. I think it is necessary to put the emphasis on
things like this. We will, sooner or later, have contacts with Turkey
in the same legal, customs and administrative system, so it would be
better for us to comprehensively study and understand the Turkish
state. The situation may change at any moment; the Armenia-Turkey
border may open, so we must at least be ready for that.
Is what you say a hint that we must be ready for unexpected steps by Turkey?
I think in a region like ours, we can often expect developments,
especially sudden ones. Besides, there are frozen conflicts in the
region, which may awaken any time. We already have the precedent - the
2008 Russian-Georgian conflict which thoroughly changed the situation,
affecting also the Armenia-Turkey relations. Given the tensions in the
Middle East, the signs of changes in the US-Iran relations, as well as
Armenia's accession to the [Eurasian] Customs Union, I think we can
expect interesting developments next year, both global and non-global,
but interesting and painstaking to a certain degree.
And what about the Genocide centennial?
The Genocide recognition issue continues to remain actual. Activeness
by both Turkey and Armenia can be certainly predicted. As 2015, the
Genocide centennial, is drawing near, I think our efforts in both
science and diplomacy as well as the political system must be more
coordinated. The sphere is going to be very active, requiring a higher
degree of tension, professionalism and use of comprehensive knowledge
on our part.
Armenian News - Tert.am
15:48 - 04.01.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Ruben Melkonyan, a Turkologist and a
deputy dean at the Yerevan State University's Oriental Studies
Department, summed up 2013 in the light of the Armenia-Turkey
relations, noting that the reconciliation efforts between the two
countries saw neither a progress nor a regress He also shared his
expectations of possible developments in the process.
Mr Melkonyan, do you think 2013 marked a progress in the
Armenia-Turkey relations?
As a matter of fact, 2013 cannot be considered a year of either
achievements or regress in terms of the Armenia-Turkiey relations. It
can be said to be the continuation of the refrozen efforts, as the
process launched with Turkey's non-constructive efforts continued well
into 2013. Turkey's imitation efforts and false statements that the
Armenia-Turkey talks on a secret level, continued last year too, but
they were less intensive and influential, as many came to realize how
baseless they were.
As for the Armenian side, we continued with our objections, dismissing
false statements and making resolute decisions. I have to mention with
satisfaction that I was especially very pleased - as a citizen and a
Turkologist -with our diplomacy's steps during [Turkish FM Ahmet]
Davutoglu's visit because they testified to a higher degree of
maturity and a higher level of experience in the dialogue with Turkey.
So, can we be said to have become more experienced?
The experience of communicating with Turkey, which we had in
2008-2009, is not to be compared with the experience we have today. So
if we derive no benefits from the football diplomacy, we can say at
least that the Armenian diplomacy gained quite a large experience of
communication.
So what were the necessary steps in the bilateral normalization
efforts that the Armenian diplomacy failed to make?
As for the foreign policy aspect of the Armenia-Turkey relations, I
cannot say what we could have done, as we did not have quite a big
arena. So, probably, everything possible was carried out. But as far
as the other component, the domestic situation is concerned, I think
we could have made certain steps. And it isn't now too late to take
action. That's first of all the internal responsibility; knowing
Turkey, preparing informative, scientific materials about the country
and reproducing analytical episodes - these are steps we fail
unfortunately to make. It is desirable for politicians and employees
of the Foreign Ministry to have a higher level of knowledge about
Turkey. To date, we do not even have a university textbook about the
history of Turkey; it is due to be published no earlier than at the
beginning of next year thanks to the joint efforts of the YSU and the
National Academy of Sciences. So the problem is we have a conflict
with Turkey, but we do not even have a textbook to make students
learn. We could have taken such steps in both 2003 and 2013; but
nothing has been done. I think it is necessary to put the emphasis on
things like this. We will, sooner or later, have contacts with Turkey
in the same legal, customs and administrative system, so it would be
better for us to comprehensively study and understand the Turkish
state. The situation may change at any moment; the Armenia-Turkey
border may open, so we must at least be ready for that.
Is what you say a hint that we must be ready for unexpected steps by Turkey?
I think in a region like ours, we can often expect developments,
especially sudden ones. Besides, there are frozen conflicts in the
region, which may awaken any time. We already have the precedent - the
2008 Russian-Georgian conflict which thoroughly changed the situation,
affecting also the Armenia-Turkey relations. Given the tensions in the
Middle East, the signs of changes in the US-Iran relations, as well as
Armenia's accession to the [Eurasian] Customs Union, I think we can
expect interesting developments next year, both global and non-global,
but interesting and painstaking to a certain degree.
And what about the Genocide centennial?
The Genocide recognition issue continues to remain actual. Activeness
by both Turkey and Armenia can be certainly predicted. As 2015, the
Genocide centennial, is drawing near, I think our efforts in both
science and diplomacy as well as the political system must be more
coordinated. The sphere is going to be very active, requiring a higher
degree of tension, professionalism and use of comprehensive knowledge
on our part.
Armenian News - Tert.am