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TURKEY FACING NECESSITY OF MAKING A STEP TO IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
By H. Chaqrian
AZG Armenian Daily
26/09/2007
In another publication, entitled "Turkey's attitude towards Armenia
remains unalterable", "Azg" expressed opinion that in any cases Turkey
has faced the necessity of making a step towards the improvement
of its relationship with Armenia. First of all, this refers to the
opening of the Armenian-Turkish border.
It is remarkable that this takes place in a period when Turkey stands
on the threshold of radical structure changes, when the project
of the new Constitution, dictated by the Islamic party of Erdogan,
is yielding its positions and when the nationalistic opposition is
escalating the political station in the country.
In other words, the inner confrontation of political powers in Turkey,
which is represented as struggle between secularism and Islamism by
the nationalistic powers, by no means hampers the wide discussion of
the issue of opening the Armenian-Turkish border. The last discussion
of that topic was organized by AIRPG on September 18, Istanbul and
was entitled "The Economic and Social Consequences of Opening the
Armenian-Turkish Border".
The initiative of AIRPG, basing in Washington, was supported by USAID
and the "Eurasia" foundation. A similar event was organized also on
September 20 in Ankara, in which an important role belonged to the
Democracy Fund of Turkey.
Member of the European Department of the Middle-Eastern Technical
University Burcu Gyultekin supported the opinions of AIRPG
representative Mher Bagramian and worker of the Orientology Institute
of Armenia Vahram Ter-Matevosian about necessity of opening the
border and the necessity of involvement of NGOs in the resolution
of that question. Gyultekin said that keeping the border, besides
having negative effect on the political life and the economy of both
the states, also harms the societies, impeding their contact and
interference. He pointed out that the blockade of the Armenian-Turkish
border also impedes the development of the relations between Armenia
and Azerbaijan; therefore Turkey must work out a policy of cooperation
with Armenia, similar to the policy of partnership with Greece.
Gyultekin's opinion was argued by the head of the International Center
of Strategic Research, Sedat Laciner. To his opinion, Turkey will have
no profit from opening the border with Armenia. He noticed that Turkey
will have difficulties with Azerbaijan, in case the border is opened
before the final resolution of the Karabakh conflict. He reminded
that Azerbaijan is much more important for Turkey than Armenia.
The information about the aforementioned discussions in Ankara
and Istanbul was taken from the bulletin of the Armenian Research
Institute of the Eurasian Strategic Research center. In the September
21 bulletin head of the Institute Omer Engin Lutem referred to the
topic with an analyzing article.
Lutem's article supports the positions of Laciner, explaining that
the export of Turkish goods to Armenia is only 0,15% of the whole
foreign trade of Turkey.
Even when the border opens, writes Lutem, Turkey will hardly have
any profit; even Kars shall have nothing, as goods produced there
are not demanded in Armenia.
He added that Armenia shall not profit from the opening either,
as it has noting to export.
Lutem noted that Armenia is interested in opening the border with
Turkey rather politically than economically, for it shall bring forth
difficulties between Azerbaijan and Turkey. ""If Turkey realizes
that opening the border shall improve the relations with USA, EU or
other states, then the question of full or partial opening must be
considered," he wrote.
By H. Chaqrian
AZG Armenian Daily
26/09/2007
In another publication, entitled "Turkey's attitude towards Armenia
remains unalterable", "Azg" expressed opinion that in any cases Turkey
has faced the necessity of making a step towards the improvement
of its relationship with Armenia. First of all, this refers to the
opening of the Armenian-Turkish border.
It is remarkable that this takes place in a period when Turkey stands
on the threshold of radical structure changes, when the project
of the new Constitution, dictated by the Islamic party of Erdogan,
is yielding its positions and when the nationalistic opposition is
escalating the political station in the country.
In other words, the inner confrontation of political powers in Turkey,
which is represented as struggle between secularism and Islamism by
the nationalistic powers, by no means hampers the wide discussion of
the issue of opening the Armenian-Turkish border. The last discussion
of that topic was organized by AIRPG on September 18, Istanbul and
was entitled "The Economic and Social Consequences of Opening the
Armenian-Turkish Border".
The initiative of AIRPG, basing in Washington, was supported by USAID
and the "Eurasia" foundation. A similar event was organized also on
September 20 in Ankara, in which an important role belonged to the
Democracy Fund of Turkey.
Member of the European Department of the Middle-Eastern Technical
University Burcu Gyultekin supported the opinions of AIRPG
representative Mher Bagramian and worker of the Orientology Institute
of Armenia Vahram Ter-Matevosian about necessity of opening the
border and the necessity of involvement of NGOs in the resolution
of that question. Gyultekin said that keeping the border, besides
having negative effect on the political life and the economy of both
the states, also harms the societies, impeding their contact and
interference. He pointed out that the blockade of the Armenian-Turkish
border also impedes the development of the relations between Armenia
and Azerbaijan; therefore Turkey must work out a policy of cooperation
with Armenia, similar to the policy of partnership with Greece.
Gyultekin's opinion was argued by the head of the International Center
of Strategic Research, Sedat Laciner. To his opinion, Turkey will have
no profit from opening the border with Armenia. He noticed that Turkey
will have difficulties with Azerbaijan, in case the border is opened
before the final resolution of the Karabakh conflict. He reminded
that Azerbaijan is much more important for Turkey than Armenia.
The information about the aforementioned discussions in Ankara
and Istanbul was taken from the bulletin of the Armenian Research
Institute of the Eurasian Strategic Research center. In the September
21 bulletin head of the Institute Omer Engin Lutem referred to the
topic with an analyzing article.
Lutem's article supports the positions of Laciner, explaining that
the export of Turkish goods to Armenia is only 0,15% of the whole
foreign trade of Turkey.
Even when the border opens, writes Lutem, Turkey will hardly have
any profit; even Kars shall have nothing, as goods produced there
are not demanded in Armenia.
He added that Armenia shall not profit from the opening either,
as it has noting to export.
Lutem noted that Armenia is interested in opening the border with
Turkey rather politically than economically, for it shall bring forth
difficulties between Azerbaijan and Turkey. ""If Turkey realizes
that opening the border shall improve the relations with USA, EU or
other states, then the question of full or partial opening must be
considered," he wrote.