Turkey's Problematic Announcement on the Background of Armenia's Internal Political Developments

• 05.14.2018, 12:28
• Greta Avetisyan
•  Region,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World,  Analytics

With the formation of a new government, a phase full of various opportunities and challenge has opened for Armenia's domestic and foreign politics. This refers to the Armenian-Turkish relations as well. On the background of the new internal political developmednts in Armenia, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that "if Armenia gives up its hostile attitude, which it has shown for years against Turkey, if gives up its wrong attitude against Turkey’s territorial integrity and borders, if wants to opens a new page then we will respond accordingly after looking at the details."

Such an announcement is not only quite problematic, but also distorts the reality.

First, in 2008 it was Armenia that initiated the football diplomacy and the whole Zurich process with the aim of establishing diplomatic relations with Turkey without preconditions. However, the process failed and it failed because of Turkey, which violating its commitments, started to talk with Armenia with the language of preconditions linking the settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations with Karabakh conflict. Moreover, with different occasions and at various levels, also at the highest level the Turkish authorities have come up with hostile announcements about Armenians and Armenia even considering calling someone an Armenian to be an insult.

Second, Armenia has never had "wrong attitude" or it has never voiced any problems concerning the territorial integrity and the borders of Turkey. The demand of the Republic of Armenia, its authorities and the whole Armenian people was and remains the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and restoration of the violated rights.

Third, as the RA previous authorities, the current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has also declared that Armenia today is also ready to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions.

It is important that this position is strengthened in the foreign political agenda of the the current Armenian authorities and that the Turkish authorities understood that despite the changes in Armenia they cannot talk to that country with the language of blackmailing, threatening or preconditions. In their turn the RA authorities will try to find edges for dialogue with Turkey, when in that county the authorities will be more balanced and responsible.