Around Davutoglu`s visit to Armenia I - gab

Around Davutoglu's visit to Armenia I
Armenia Has Worked Out Roadmap And Passed To
Turkey
Story from Lragir.am News - 10/12/2013
The Aravot Daily informed referring to the source in the foreign ministry
that Armenia has drafted a new road map of Armenian-Turkish normalization
which has been passed to Ahmed Davutoglu ten days ago through closed
channels. Obviously Erdogan's government which has started with the slogan
"Zero problems with neighbors" and has appeared in a "serious problems with
all the neighbors" reality needs to save its face on the international
arena so it did not mind considering seriously the roadmap put forth by
Armenia in secrecy.
According to the same source, the road map has three milestones:
1. Turkey recognizes the genocide publicly, its responsibility and repents
before the Armenians worldwide:
2. Immediately opens the Armenian-Turkish border and establishes diplomatic
relations with Armenia.
3. Afterwards Turkey comes up with peacekeeping efforts and gets the right
to implement social programs to control war rhetoric, border incidents,
withdrawal of snipers and preparing publics for peace.
Apparently, during his visit to Yerevan Davutoglu will have an opportunity
to inform Edward Nalbandyan about the stance of official Ankara on the
roadmap put forth by Armenia, the newspaper reported.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/31505
Who Is The Author Of Armenian-Turkish Roadmap?
By Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News - 10/12/2013
Amid the active European integration which lasted till September 3 Armenia
has at last set to real politics on the relations with Turkey and
Azerbaijan. Yerevan is officially talking about territorial claims to
Turkey and does not hide its preference for the status quo in Karabakh.
In Armenia a committee has been formed which is
general Aghvan Hovsepyan who was to pick up all
enable Armenia to put forth claims to Turkey at
international law. In addition, the West hinted
claims.
chaired by the ex-prosecutor
the evidence that would
the highest level of the
to support Armenia's
However, after September 3 Armenia's rhetoric changed. Today the Aravot has
published a roadmap that Armenia has allegedly passed to Turkey. There is
not a formal text but most probably the information is true. The roadmap
does not mention the key interest of Armenia – a claim for compensation,
including territorial. Without this point any claim to Turkey looks like
meeting their own interests. According to the document, Turkey must
recognize the genocide, open the border with Armenia and participate in the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. In other words, Turkey gets rid of two
headaches without losses – the genocide and borders - and officially
becomes Azerbaijan's defender.
One could not have thought of anything better.
According to the newspaper, this is Armenia's initiative. However, logically,
a country that thinks about its own interest should not give such a gift to
its centennial enemy. Such proposals could originate from Turkey. Most
probably, it has passed them to the Armenian MFA through Moscow, and Russia
has "asked" Armenia to present them as their own initiative, like in 2009.
Turkey is going to flirt, pretend as if it disagrees with these conditions.
In reality, it is going to be grateful to Russia. Such gratefulness may
cost high, a pipeline or an order of arms. Russia will also be happy which
will never allow Armenia to help Turkey's division and become an important
factor in Asia Minor.
Yesterday three traditional Armenian parties, ARF, the Ramkavar Party and
the Hnchak Party, made a joint declaration calling to activate collection
of evidence for putting forth claims to Turkey. This statement was not a
coincidence. The traditional parties have learned that official Yerevan has
refused to participate in the international "project" of containment of
Turkish expansion. This project is implemented by the West, using the
Kurdish, Armenian and Iranian factors. They use these factors for their own
interests but their interests are in line with the interests of Armenians,
Kurds and Iranians.
Turkey has always feared the Armenian diaspora. Even official statements by
Turkish politicians note that Armenia should contain its Diaspora. They
mean the Armenian communities in the West who are closely related to the
governments of their countries which are trying to contain Turkey, even if
it requires Turkey's division.
Now after September 3 Turkey does not fear anything. Neither Russia, nor
the Russian Diaspora scare Turkey. Furthermore, now they are going to help
Turkey return to Armenia. So will the Armenian government.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/31511
Armenia's Authorities Must Draw Lessons From
Armenian-Turkish Protocols - Armen Rustamyan
tert.am – 10/12/2013
Chairman of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D)
parliamentary group Armen Rustamyan believes that Turkey has always been
seeking to "look civilized."
This time it is being done by means of Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu's
upcoming visit to Armenia.
"Turkey has different masks at its disposal and it can quickly put them on.
However, its essence never changes as it has not rejected its strategic
interests, which are anti-Armenian in nature. Turkey has not become a
civilized country nor has it rejected Neo-Ottomanism or Pan-Turkism," the
MP said.
With respect to the Aravot daily's report on a roadmap for Armenian-Turkish
rapprochement, Rustamyan said:
"We are not informed of such a roadmap or of any previous documents.
Our approach to Armenian-Russian relations has not changed. Of course, we
do not object to rapprochement, but not at the offered cost.
Armenia's authorities signed the Armenian-Turkish protocols, and we are
paying a serious cost at generations' expense. We believe the protocols
should have had two parts. It should have briefly been written that we were
well aware of what diplomatic relations were and intended to resolve all
the problems between the two nations by diplomatic means. The protocols
should not have envisaged solutions in Turkey's favor. Not setting
preconditions was actually Armenia's serious concession to Turkey because
Armenia is an international entity that has the right to demand admission
of the Armenian Genocide and restitution from Turkey. So both Turkey and
the international community should have appreciated Armenia's not setting
any preconditions. There was no need for further concessions. I am not
aware of any other proposals now."
According to the newspaper's source, the roadmap envisages the following
three stages: 1. Turkey publicly admits the Armenian Genocide, its
responsibility and apologizes to the Armenians throughout the world 2. It
immediately opens the Armenia-Turkey border and establishes diplomatic
relations with Armenia. 3. Thereafter, Turkey makes peacemaking efforts in
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and gets the right to implement social
programs of exercising militant rhetoric control, preventing border
incidents, withdrawing snipers and preparing the societies for peace.
"Of course, we object to Turkey's mediation in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process in any form. Why should Turkey be involved in the peace process? It
will pose a threat to Armenia's national interests," Rustamyan said.
As to viewing the Turkish FM's upcoming visit in the context of the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Rustamyan said:
"Turkey has always been seeking to interfere, and this issue has always
been on Turkey's agenda. Moreover, after the Armenian-Turkish protocols
were signed, Turkey stepped up its efforts to act as mediator, pleading
steps toward rapprochement. But the border remained blocked, and Turkey's
major argument was that there was no sense in opening the Armenian-Turkish
border if the Armenian-Azerbaijani- border was blocked, which was to be
viewed as a single package. And if the international community wants to see
cooperation and creation of a mutually beneficial economic area here, it
should help the opening of both the borders. That would mean a settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and they thus turned the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict into a precondition. And they are not going
to give up the idea whatever roadmap is proposed. Turkey is not leaving its
small brother, Azerbaijan, alone. They have repeatedly stated they are one
nation, but two states. So opening the border would mean not considering
Armenia an aggressor, which, in turn, would weaken Azerbaijan's positions
in the negotiation process. Turkey is well aware of that and would never
make such a step because Turkey and Azerbaijan have common strategic
interests."
Turkey may be ready for certain concessions to Armenia to save its face at
the international level because its motto 'zero problems with neighbors'
failed and turned into a 'serious problems with all the neighbors' one.
"Yes, Turkey's problems with all of its neighbors got even more serious not only with Armenia, but also with Syria and others. We must realize that
a Turkey is a problem for us as long as it refused to turn into a civilized
nation or - and this is the main thing - reject its policy of NeoOttomanism and Pan-Turkism. The admission of the Armenian Genocide is not
an issue of the past, but an issue of security of the present and future
generations. The centennial of the Armenian Genocide is nearing, and Turkey
will attempt to produce an impression of a fair approach to the problem
because it thinks a wave of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide may rise. And they will try to prevent it.
"It is desirable that Armenia's authorities draw lessons from the past.
They have seen the results of football diplomacy. We did not get the
borders opened. Rather, Turkey stepped up its efforts, which impeded the
process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. We should
renounce the Armenian-Turkish protocols as soon as possible, which will be
a serious signal to both Turkey and the international community.
"Armenia's authorities are offering a primitive explanation, saying, 'why
does not Turkey ratify the protocols if they are beneficial for it?' But
why do not Armenia's authorities ratify the protocols if they are
beneficial for them? But they do not want to see what is deeper.
Turkey got what it needed by signing the protocols and it is now trying to
get even more by ratifying the protocols, namely, the opportunities for
mediating the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and ensuring a pro-Azerbaijani
course of the process."
According to some experts, the Turkish FM's upcoming visit is a mere show.
"Yes, Turkey will never go against its own strategic interests," Rustamyan
said.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/12/10/rustamyanarmena/
Le gouvernement Armenien accuse le chef de la diplomatie
turque de contrarier les efforts de paix dans la région
armenews – 10/12/2013
Le gouvernement arménien a accusé le ministre turc des affaires étrangères
Ahmet Davutoglu de chercher à torpiller les efforts internationaux en vue
de restaurer la paix et la stabilité au Sud Caucase, alors que le chef de
la diplomatie turque est attendu à Erevan où il doit participer au sommet
des pays de la Zone de coopération de la Mer Noire. Le vice ministre des
affaires étrangères arménien Shavarsh Kocharian a dénoncé les récentes
déclarations
de
M.Davutoglu
tenues
pour
de
“provocation”
sur
la
normalisation des relations turco-arméniennes, qu’Ankara continue à
conditionner à un règlement du conflit du Haut-Karabagh qui soit acceptable
pour son allié l’Azerbaïdjan.
“La Turquie peut contribuer à une normalisation des relations avec
l’Arménie en ratifiant et en mettant en œuvre, sans aucune conditions
préalables, les protocoles arméno-turcs signés à Zurich en 2009”, a déclaré
M. Kocharian dans un texte écrit adressé à l’agence de presse arménienne
Armenpress. “Si la Turquie souhaite accélérer le processus visant à
l’établissement de relations civilisées entre les Etats de la région, elle
doit reconnaître le génocide perpétré à l’encontre des Arméniens par
l’Empire ottoman et ouvrir la frontière turco-arménienne qu’elle a ellemême fermée”, a-t-il ajouté.
Ces propos confirment le rejet par Erevan de ce que les autorités turques
pressentiment comme une nouvelle initiative visant à améliorer les
relations entre les deux pays voisins. M. Davutoglu avait été le premier à
envoyer des signaux en ce sens, à l’occasion d’une visite en octobre en
Suisse, pays qui avait joué un rôle de médiation majeur dans le processus
de rapprochement arméno-turc de 2008-2009.
M. Davutoglu avait indiqué à Berne qu’une percée dans le processus de paix
arméno-azéri autour du Karabagh restait la condition d’une normalisation
des relations arméno-turques. “Si l’Arménie commence à se retirer des
territoires occupés et le fait en présentant un agenda précis de retrait,
cela sera aussi accepté par Bakou, et nous serons alors prêts à mettre ces
protocoles en œuvre”, aurait indiqué aux responsables suisses le chef de la
diplomatie turque cité par les media turcs.
M. Davutoglu a réaffirmé l’importance d’un règlement du conflit du Karabagh
pour Ankara lors de ses entretiens à Washington avec le Secrétaire d’Etat
américain John Kerry. Il a pris ensuite la décision de se rendre à Erevan
le 12 décembre pour participer à une réunion des ministres des affaires
étrangères des pays membres de l’organisation de la coopération économique
de la Mer Noire (BSEC). Le quotidien turc “Aksam” a fait savoir dans son
édition du lundi 9 décembre que M.Davutoglu allait informer les
responsables arméniens de la disposition de la Turquie à ouvrir sa
frontière avec l’Arménie en échange d’un retrait des forces arméniennes de
deux des sept districts azéris entourant le Karabagh.
On ne sait pas encore si une rencontre en tête à tête est prevue entre M.
Davutoglu et son homologue arménien Edward Nalbandian en marge de ce
sommet, voire avec le président Serge Sarkissian. Les responsables
arméniens ont préféré à ce jour ne pas accorder une portée excessive à
cette visite, même si la présence à Erevan de responsables turcs d’un si
haut niveau fait figure d’événement. Ils ont aussi adressé une fin de non
recevoir aux prétendues ouvertures diplomatiques de la Turquie, mises sur
le compte d’une tentative de relancer le processus de dialogue entre les
deux pays à la veille du 100e anniversaire du génocide arménien dont la
commémoration en 2015, devrait braquer les projecteurs sur la Turquie et
sur son négationnisme.
A Erevan, on estime que l’offensive diplomatique turque a pour seul
objectif de faire diversion et d’empêcher que l’exigence arménienne d’une
reconnaissance
du
génocide
rencontre
plus
d’écho
sur
la
scène
internationale. Le gouvernement arménien reste sur ses positions et refuse
tout lien entre laé question du Karabagh et celle des relations arménoturques.
…/…
Turkish PM And Russian President Discuss NagornoKarabakh Conflict
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia – 10/12/2013
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir
Putin have discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Moscow.
The talks were preceded by a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents
Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan in Vienna on November 19 and a meeting of
their foreign ministers at an OSCE summit in Kiev on December 4.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey was interested in
a normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian ties. Davugotlu said a few days
before attending the BSEC summit in Yerevan that Turkey considered it a
good moment for peace initiatives for Nagorno-Karabakh.
Sinan Ogan, a member of the Turkish parliament and Director of the Center
for Strategic Studies (TURKSAM), said that Russia and Turkey had a common
interest in the settlement of the conflict. He noted that Europe and
America saw the need for resolution of the problem.
Ogan emphasized that Turkey had thought that Russia was interested in the
conflict. The attitude has now changed and they realized that isolation of
Armenia meant isolation of Russia in the South Caucasus.Sergey Mikheyev,
Director General of the Institute for Caspian Cooperation said that Russia
and Turkey were had a common interest because Turkey did not want the
conflict to escalate. Russia is a member of the OSCE Minsk Group and always
wants the conflict to be resolved, Turkey wants it only 'sometimes,' when
it needs to support Azerbaijan.
The expert added that the offer of Europe to normalize relations with
Turkey for signing the association agreement was in force.
Hasan Selim Ozertem, an analyst of USAK, noted that Nagorno-Karabakh had
played a great role in the Russian-Turkish relations of the past 20 years.
Turkey closed the border for Armenia due to occupation of Azerbaijani
territories by Armenians. Attempts of military action to resolve the
conflict may affect Russian-Turkish relations.