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ANKARA: Oppositon Raises Voice To Prevent Gul's Visit To Yerevan

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  • ANKARA: Oppositon Raises Voice To Prevent Gul's Visit To Yerevan

    OPPOSITON RAISES VOICE TO PREVENT GuL'S VISIT TO YEREVAN

    Today's Zaman
    Sept 3 2008
    Turkey

    Although deputies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK
    Party) will not attend a soccer game between Armenia and Turkey in
    Yerevan this weekend, it is likely that President Abdullah Gul will
    attend the match upon an invitation from his Armenian counterpart
    despite harsh criticism from the opposition.

    While some academics say they cannot understand the attitude of the
    opposition, others say the visit may indeed be problematic.

    Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan had previously invited Gul to
    watch the Sept. 6. World Cup qualifying match between the Turkish
    and Armenian national teams in Yerevan, with which Ankara does not
    have any official relations.

    The necessary diplomatic back channels are in place for organizing
    the possible presidential visit.

    Turkey's opposition parties have been extremely critical of Gul's
    possible visit. Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal
    said the government is trying to reverse the country's official policy
    without Armenia meeting any of the conditions demanded by Turkey
    for the normalization of ties. He also warned against alienating
    Azerbaijan, saying this country is of vital importance for Turkey in
    many respects.

    The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), whose late leader, Alparslan
    TurkeÅ~_, worked to improve ties between Turkey and Armenia, has
    also opposed Gul's possible visit. MHP leader Devlet Bahceli has
    said Gul's visit would be a historic mistake that would harm Turkey's
    national pride.

    Turkey was among the first countries to recognize Armenia's
    independence, but it closed its border and severed formal ties with
    Yerevan after Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. According to Turkish
    policy, the normalization of ties requires an Armenian withdrawal
    from Azerbaijani territory, the shelving of Yerevan's support for
    the Armenian diaspora's efforts to win international recognition for
    Armenian claims of genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire
    and Armenia's formal recognition of the current border with Turkey.

    Professor Hasan Köni, from BahceÅ~_ehir University's international
    relations department, says a visit by Gul to Yerevan would be in
    Turkey's interests and that if the opposition is opposing it, it may
    be because they are not well informed about the recent situation in
    the Caucasus.

    "The situation in the Caucasus is even more complicated now. Turkey is
    trying to follow a policy that serves stability. Gul's visit will serve
    this aim," Köni says, adding that the Foreign Ministry should inform
    the opposition parties about the recent situation in the Caucasus.

    Baskın Oran, another professor of international relations who supports
    Gul's possible visit to Yerevan, said that he finds it difficult to
    understand the position taken by the opposition parties. "Actually,
    I was not surprised by the attitude of the CHP. ... But the MHP's
    stance is surprising since their late chairman worked to improve
    relations between Turkey and Armenia," he says.

    But another opposition party, the Democratic Society party (DTP),
    supports Gul's visit to Yerevan. DTP co-chairwoman Emine Ayna pointed
    out that the soccer game will not solve the problems between the two
    countries and Turkey will not lose anything, but that Gul's visit
    will nonetheless serve to develop dialogue between the two countries.

    "Turkey is in denial about some things and the Armenians have some
    negative attitudes. These problems should be solved," Ayna told the
    Cihan news agency recently.

    Apart from diplomatic concerns, the main practical reason for opposing
    Gul's visit is security.

    Many AK Party deputies wanted to attend the game, but the party
    administration decided not to give permission due to security concerns.

    Kaan Soyak, from the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council,
    stressed that a new beginning is needed and that security will be
    assured in Yerevan. "I don't think that there will be protests but
    if there are any, the Armenian state will silence them," Soyak said.

    But Center for International Relations and Strategic Analysis (TURKSAM)
    Chairman Sinan Ogan is doubtful about security in Armenia and warns
    that if there are any protests or security problems, relations between
    two countries could get even worse. "It is very difficult to control
    a stadium. There is a huge risk there and I am not sure it is worth
    taking this risk," he said.

    Meanwhile, Turkish national team coach Fatih Terim said yesterday
    at a press conference the game in Yerevan is a game, not a war:
    "It is true that our rivals will prepare for this game with a special
    motivation. For us this is just a soccer game. When I think about my
    friends from all over the world that I met because of soccer, it is
    impossible for me think in another way. You cannot prepare yourself
    for a game while thinking about history and political problems. We
    cannot carry the burden of history on our shoulders, if we do that
    it will slow us down."

    --Boundary_(ID_b3566YVFyQH7fQU9mEE4Tg )--
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