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PAVEL ZARIFULLIN: "TURKEY WILL NEVER BE PART OF THE EU"
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Jan 27 2014
27 January 2014 - 9:14am
Yesterday, in his interview to CNBC at the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Irakli Garibashvili, Georgian Prime Minister, commented on
the events in Ukraine. He related the Euromaidan with the political
pressure of Russia and emphasized that Georgia is expecting a
provocation from Russia. Pavel Zarifullin, Director of the Lev Gumilev
Center, told Vestnik Kavkaza about the European aspirations of Georgia,
Armenia and Turkey.
What is the European view on efforts by the new Georgian government
to meet democratic standards of the European Union?
The view has been being formed for decades. It didn't come from
nowhere; Georgia is perceived as a freedom-loving, fair state which
resists the mammoth from the north, a David against the awful Russian
Goliath. Of course, it is idealized in Europeans' eyes that everything
is wonderful there, that the people have accepted true values of
freedom and democracy and finally will be an example for all nations
of Asia in building a state without corruption and totalitarianism.
The views on Georgia are very idealistic. In fact I believe European
citizens don't really know what happens there, how deep the Georgian
conscience is, how patriarchal it is, it is a kind of a thing in
itself. If Georgians read the principles which they are going to sign
in the association with the EU, I think they would never agree to
this. At the same time, the policies are too thin. There is an item
which says that the rights of sexual minorities should be welcomed in
Georgia. Neither Patriarch Ilia II nor patriarchal Georgian families
will agree to this. Therefore, we can see another cognitive dissonance
here, when there are idealized views of Western society and these views
are imposed on a different culture, a different social mentality,
and sooner or later it will break up. At the moment nobody demands
from Georgians to hold a love parade in Tbilisi, but they will demand
it tomorrow, and it will cause a painful reaction in Georgian society
and reconsideration of European illusions which have been a disease
of the Georgian nation in the last few decades.
How do you think will develop the relations of Armenia with the EU
after its decision to join the Customs Union?
There will be trade relations, it will all be suggestions that
Armenia had better give up on the Eurasian Union, that Europe is
better and more interesting for Armenia, Armenian opposition parties
will get financed by different foundations, as well as any Armenian
organizations that propagandize European identity, European culture,
European rights and freedoms. So it certainly is a great challenge
for Armenia, but then, they have no alternative, because Europe will
never give them any guarantees. The EU can declare they include Armenia
in whatever unions, organizations, Eastern partnerships, but Europe
can never guarantee security and sovereignty to Armenia. Only Russia,
OSCE, the Eurasian Union can do it. And the Armenian authorities and
people are perfectly aware of it.
How has the attitude of the EU to Turkey changed after the big
corruption scandal in the government?
The relations between Turkey and the EU are another story, they have
been singing different songs for 50 years. The main goal of the EU
is to work with Turkey and use it for its economic and geopolitical
issues, but never include it in the EU. So anything related to a
certain demonization of Turkey in the eyes of the European community
will be encouraged by European media. They will keep emphasizing
and proving that the Turks are corrupt. The Turks are indigestible
for Europe, allegedly because they are like this, because corruption
blossoms there. And if you say they have reversed values, that in some
respect they might be more European than the Czechs or the Hungarians -
if we talk about rationality, about economic progress, they will never
agree. Here we face again some double standards of European society
towards other regions, other cultures. We shouldn't blame them for it,
for we also are like that, because Europe is a different civilization,
with its own cultural code, Russia is different and also has its
unique cultural code, and Turkey is not like any of us. We - experts,
journalists, political researchers - should stop watching the world
through all those telescopes, rose-colored spectacles, just realize
that all the negative information on Turkey in the European press
(including the German press) will have the sole goal of never letting
Turkey join the EU.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/interviews/politics/50425.html
From: Baghdasarian
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Jan 27 2014
27 January 2014 - 9:14am
Yesterday, in his interview to CNBC at the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Irakli Garibashvili, Georgian Prime Minister, commented on
the events in Ukraine. He related the Euromaidan with the political
pressure of Russia and emphasized that Georgia is expecting a
provocation from Russia. Pavel Zarifullin, Director of the Lev Gumilev
Center, told Vestnik Kavkaza about the European aspirations of Georgia,
Armenia and Turkey.
What is the European view on efforts by the new Georgian government
to meet democratic standards of the European Union?
The view has been being formed for decades. It didn't come from
nowhere; Georgia is perceived as a freedom-loving, fair state which
resists the mammoth from the north, a David against the awful Russian
Goliath. Of course, it is idealized in Europeans' eyes that everything
is wonderful there, that the people have accepted true values of
freedom and democracy and finally will be an example for all nations
of Asia in building a state without corruption and totalitarianism.
The views on Georgia are very idealistic. In fact I believe European
citizens don't really know what happens there, how deep the Georgian
conscience is, how patriarchal it is, it is a kind of a thing in
itself. If Georgians read the principles which they are going to sign
in the association with the EU, I think they would never agree to
this. At the same time, the policies are too thin. There is an item
which says that the rights of sexual minorities should be welcomed in
Georgia. Neither Patriarch Ilia II nor patriarchal Georgian families
will agree to this. Therefore, we can see another cognitive dissonance
here, when there are idealized views of Western society and these views
are imposed on a different culture, a different social mentality,
and sooner or later it will break up. At the moment nobody demands
from Georgians to hold a love parade in Tbilisi, but they will demand
it tomorrow, and it will cause a painful reaction in Georgian society
and reconsideration of European illusions which have been a disease
of the Georgian nation in the last few decades.
How do you think will develop the relations of Armenia with the EU
after its decision to join the Customs Union?
There will be trade relations, it will all be suggestions that
Armenia had better give up on the Eurasian Union, that Europe is
better and more interesting for Armenia, Armenian opposition parties
will get financed by different foundations, as well as any Armenian
organizations that propagandize European identity, European culture,
European rights and freedoms. So it certainly is a great challenge
for Armenia, but then, they have no alternative, because Europe will
never give them any guarantees. The EU can declare they include Armenia
in whatever unions, organizations, Eastern partnerships, but Europe
can never guarantee security and sovereignty to Armenia. Only Russia,
OSCE, the Eurasian Union can do it. And the Armenian authorities and
people are perfectly aware of it.
How has the attitude of the EU to Turkey changed after the big
corruption scandal in the government?
The relations between Turkey and the EU are another story, they have
been singing different songs for 50 years. The main goal of the EU
is to work with Turkey and use it for its economic and geopolitical
issues, but never include it in the EU. So anything related to a
certain demonization of Turkey in the eyes of the European community
will be encouraged by European media. They will keep emphasizing
and proving that the Turks are corrupt. The Turks are indigestible
for Europe, allegedly because they are like this, because corruption
blossoms there. And if you say they have reversed values, that in some
respect they might be more European than the Czechs or the Hungarians -
if we talk about rationality, about economic progress, they will never
agree. Here we face again some double standards of European society
towards other regions, other cultures. We shouldn't blame them for it,
for we also are like that, because Europe is a different civilization,
with its own cultural code, Russia is different and also has its
unique cultural code, and Turkey is not like any of us. We - experts,
journalists, political researchers - should stop watching the world
through all those telescopes, rose-colored spectacles, just realize
that all the negative information on Turkey in the European press
(including the German press) will have the sole goal of never letting
Turkey join the EU.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/interviews/politics/50425.html
From: Baghdasarian