The Call of the European Parliament to Open the Armenian-Turkish Border Will Once Again Be Ignored by Turkey

• 07.12.2017, 11:54
• Greta Avetisyan
•  Region,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World,  Armenia,  Analytics

The resolution of the European Parliament on Turkey adopted on July 6 among other issues includes a reference to Armenian-Turkish relations. In the resolution, the European Parliament calls on Turkey and Armenia to work on the normalization of their relations. Moreover, the resolution stresses that the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border could lead to improved relations, with particular reference to cross-border cooperation and economic integration.

It is not a secret that Turkey has never adopted a constructive approach towards the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Despite the continuation of the Turkish denial policy, in 2008 Armenia initiated “football diplomacy” and the whole Zurich process, which failed, because the Turkish authorities did not show a proper political will and continued to talk to Armenia with preconditions. And in that whole process then Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan had his active role.

The call by the European Parliament on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and opening of Armenian-Turkish close border is not the first one. On the eve of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide – on April 15, 2015, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Armenian Genocide calling Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide, to ratify Armenian-Turkish protocols without preconditions and open the border with Armenia.

Nevertheless, despite the calls and the criticism, Turkish authorities continue their destructive policy, also unilaterally keeping the Armenian-Turkish border close. The Armenian side has declared for many times, that it is ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey, if Turkey stops putting preconditions and shows corresponding political will, not depriving the two peoples from the opportunity to create a peaceful future.