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    ISMAIL SAFI: IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF THEIR ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL COOPERATION, TURKEY AND ARMENIA SHOULD SOLVE THEIR DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS

    Interview with Ismail Safi, Turkish parliamentarian from the ruling
    Justice and Development Party, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee
    of the Turkish Parliament

    by Ashot Safaryan

    http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=C2395970-7509-11E2-A7E2F6327207157C
    Tuesday, February 12, 14:40

    The Zurich protocols on establishment of diplomatic relations between
    Armenia and Turkey have actually remained ink on paper, and the mutual
    non-confidence between the parties has become even deeper. What ways
    of rehabilitation do you see for the process launched 4 years ago?

    Turkey has to enhance its relations with all its neighbors on the
    basis of mutual respect and good neighborhood relations. The Zurich
    Protocols are the first step of the normalization of the relations
    with Armenia which we interpret is a long process and the Protocols
    were signed with the reflection of this understanding and vision. We,
    as Turkey, are continuing to act within the framework of the Zurich
    Protocols. The Protocols continue to be on the agenda of the Grand
    National Assembly of Turkey. What we desire is to ensure a full
    and comprehensive normalization within the region. In case the
    normalization does not happen, efforts with good intention towards a
    single track normalization will also not be permanent and sustainable.

    We are determined to continue the normalization process between
    Turkey and Armenia. Besides, the continuation of this process,
    no doubt, depends on Armenia's will to solve its problems with
    all its neighbours, exhibit constructive behavior on this issue
    and compatibility of the politics Armenia followed with the good
    neighborhood relations.

    Murders of the citizens of Armenian ethnicity have recently grown in
    number in Istanbul. Can one consider these cases to be the evidence of
    growing xenophobia and religious animosity in the Turkish society? Are
    these incidents accidental or are certain forces behind them?

    In November, December and January four incidents happened to our
    citizens in Samatya Region of İstanbul. The houses of four old
    women who lived alone in the district were entered for the stealing
    purposes. Three of these women are Turkish citizens with Armenian
    ethnicity. The events happened for stealing purposes and jewelry
    like earrings, necklace, bracelet are stolen from our citizens' homes
    .In one of these stealing actions, an 84 year old Armenian woman was
    killed. We feel regret for these events and the purpose of these events
    are not ethnical, political or religious but are completely stealing.

    Armenia and Turkey are BSEC member states. How much does this platform
    contribute to development of trade and economic relations between
    the two countries and what new practices can be expected within
    this structure?

    Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC)
    has an important mission in the region especially in economic and
    commercial fields. The PABSEC membership of Turkey and Armenia is very
    important with regards to create an economic and commercial cooperation
    circumstance. However I want to remind that, in order to evaluate the
    potential of regional economic and commercial activities and to carry
    them a step further, consistent, comprehensive and sustainable peace,
    stability and welfare circumstance should be established, diplomatic
    and political problems should be solved.

    The conflict in Syria is escalating with every passing day, and
    official Ankara is seriously concerned with these developments, which
    is proved by deployment of Patriot missile systems on the border with
    Syria. What threats does Turkey see in the further escalation of the
    crisis, and what role does the Kurdish factor play here?

    Turkey's deployment of Patriot missile defense system on the border
    with Syria is a resolution taken by NATO because of threats and
    risks constituted to Turkey's national security by the increasingly
    violence events in Syria. Because of this, there wasn't any ethnical
    group effect in Syria while giving this resolution.

    Turkey does not conceal its attempts to speed up its role in the
    Karabakh peace process. What new approaches can Ankara offer given
    its repeated statements in favor of Azerbaijan?

    Turkey stays in the negotiation process regarding Karabakh problem
    because of being a neighbor country to the region and a member of OSCE
    Minsk Group. Turkey, continues its intensive contacts in this field
    and makes an effort to find a peaceful solution in the framework of
    Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

    Our President, met with President of Azerbaijan Mr. Aliyev, President
    of Kazakhstan Mr. Nazarbayev and Prime Minister of Russian Federation
    (at that time) Mr. Putin during "Conference of Cooperation and Security
    Building Measures in Asia (CICA)" Summit in İstanbul between June 7-8,
    2010. He shared "Caucasia Development Fund "with them and they welcomed
    the offer. In this respect, to ensure a full normalization in South
    Caucasia and to reach a solution in the Armenia-Azarbaijan-Nagorno
    conflict "Regional Integrated Transportation Corridors Project"
    was developed as a "peace project".

    Our new projects and proposals regarding establishment of regional
    cooperation understanding and solving the Karabakh problem will also
    continue next term.

    Many analysts, including Turkish ones, agree that before the
    2014 presidential election in Turkey Prime Minister Erdogan is
    going to amend the Turkish Constitution and considerably enlarge
    the presidential powers, and afterwards - to win the presidential
    election. How probable is this scenario and what geopolitical vector
    of development President Erdogan's Turkey will choose?

    Especially in the last 6 years, Turkey has performed new important
    openings in its foreign policy. Turkey moved from focusing existing
    problems in its foreign policy understanding to progressive, active,
    going beyond the ordinary, overcoming the problems in its foreign
    policy understanding. Turkey has become a country that does not always
    think there are enemies around but creates friends; it has become a
    country which is looking for solutions to the problems that cannot be
    solved for years. We will continue to cooperate with our neighbors
    and contribute to peace in all aspects along with the same foreign
    policy principles after our Prime Minister's election as President.

    How successful do you think Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's
    formula "zero problems with neighbors" is? Has this formula passed
    its examination amid aggravation of the situation in the Middle East
    over the past two years?

    Turkey has experienced a big transformation especially in the last
    decade. In this period especially in foreign policy we did our best
    to implement our minister Davutoglu's "zero problem with neighbors"
    principle. This policy will be continued. For instance; by the
    beginning of Arab Spring we approached Syria diplomatically for nine
    months. There is a community demanding democratic change in Syria.

    Today approximately 60.000 people died because of the bloody events
    happened in Syria. Our "zero problem" principle still continues in
    our relations with Syria, but we stand near our Syrian brothers who
    fought there for their rights, dismissed from their country and come
    to our country as refugees.




    From: A. Papazian
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