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Provocation Or Threat?
The response of official Ankara to the murder of the Turkish shepherd
on the Armenian-Turkish border was tough. It even contains certain
threats. Ankara states that the killing of an innocent citizen of
Turkey due to accidental crossing of the border is intolerable. At the
same time, Turkey's ministry of foreign affairs has called Yerevan to
treat its relations with neighbors with common sense with a view to
regional stability.
In fact, the incident on the Armenian-Turkish border is a diplomatic scandal.
The Russian border guard service which guards the Armenian-Turkish
border stated that the shepherd did not only violate the border but
fired at the border guards. It is not clear when the Russian border
guards will present undeniable proof. They say they are investigating.
If the shepherd fired, they must present at least the gun with which
he fired because the gun could not just vanish.
Now it is clear that Turkey will use the incident as a weapon which it
needs so badly judging by internal and external problems.
Interestingly, the incident at the Armenian-Turkish border overlaps
with completion of negotiations on the Association Agreement and DCFTA
between the EU and Armenia. Furthermore, recently Armenia is brought
up the issue of the Armenian-Turkish border officially, stating that
association and free trade cannot be complete unless the border
between Armenia and Turkey which is also part of the EU customs is
closed.
In fact, Armenia indirectly puts forth conditions to the EU. In answer
to this, the EU commissioner Stefan Fule stated during his meeting
with the civil society representatives in Yerevan that Turkey will
remind the EU at every opportunity that being a member of Europe means
being good neighbors. In fact, the EU acknowledges the issue brought
up by Armenia where the sides have mutual understanding if completion
of negotiation is announced.
In this context the border incident occurs as Armenia tries to refresh
the issue of the Armenian-Turkish border on the European agenda. The
incident occurs on the Armenian side, and the Turkish trespasser is
killed. Crossing a border is a crime indeed, an encroachment on state
security but killing is too extreme a thing to be chosen as a
preventive or stopping measure.
Turkey gains an extra argument to tackle this process. And the Russian
border guards give Turkey this argument, who kill instead of catching
the shepherd.
Moreover, a point of view is kneaded that the Turkish shepherd was not
a shepherd and had other reasons to cross the Armenian border because
he fired at the border guards, as the Russian border guards say.
All the more so, he should not be killed. In such cases, everything
must be done to catch the trespasser and find out the purpose of his
visit. This is the requirement of principles of state security and
professionalism. In this case, the Russian border guards would give
the weapon to Armenia, not Turkey.
So, either border guards lack professionalism if they are unable to
render harmless a trespasser who could hardly have been someone like
Rambo with his equipment and arms, or the Russian border guards
controlling the Armenian-Turkish border are guided by the state
security issues of their own state, rather than the Armenian state.
The result is an Armenian-Turkish, not a Russian-Turkish scandal. And
in its current situation Armenia needs scandals the least because
scandals harm Armenia and empower Turkey to oppose allegations ahead
of the 100th anniversary and development of relations with the EU.
Although the Russian border guards shot the trespasser who officially
perform border guard service, the Republic of Armenia is responsible.
So, Turkey will talk to Armenia, not the Russian Federal Border Guard
Service. The issue is a broader one which has persisted over the past
two decades of the independent state. The border with its paramount
military, political and even geopolitical importance is actually out
of control of Armenia while even the humming of bees may result in an
interstate or a regional scandal. This is an absurd situation.
Besides, incidents can be provocations, mistakes or accidents. It is
not important now that Armenia is responsible for the mistakes or
intentions of the state service of another country. The problem is not
fears from Turkey but the logic of the general situation which renders
Armenia vulnerable, keeping this section of the Armenian-Turkish
border as a source of provocations. In addition, the situation stakes
Russia as well because it is possible to shatter regional stability
and shift responsibility on Russia.
James Hakobyan
11:07 03/08/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30615
From: Baghdasarian
The response of official Ankara to the murder of the Turkish shepherd
on the Armenian-Turkish border was tough. It even contains certain
threats. Ankara states that the killing of an innocent citizen of
Turkey due to accidental crossing of the border is intolerable. At the
same time, Turkey's ministry of foreign affairs has called Yerevan to
treat its relations with neighbors with common sense with a view to
regional stability.
In fact, the incident on the Armenian-Turkish border is a diplomatic scandal.
The Russian border guard service which guards the Armenian-Turkish
border stated that the shepherd did not only violate the border but
fired at the border guards. It is not clear when the Russian border
guards will present undeniable proof. They say they are investigating.
If the shepherd fired, they must present at least the gun with which
he fired because the gun could not just vanish.
Now it is clear that Turkey will use the incident as a weapon which it
needs so badly judging by internal and external problems.
Interestingly, the incident at the Armenian-Turkish border overlaps
with completion of negotiations on the Association Agreement and DCFTA
between the EU and Armenia. Furthermore, recently Armenia is brought
up the issue of the Armenian-Turkish border officially, stating that
association and free trade cannot be complete unless the border
between Armenia and Turkey which is also part of the EU customs is
closed.
In fact, Armenia indirectly puts forth conditions to the EU. In answer
to this, the EU commissioner Stefan Fule stated during his meeting
with the civil society representatives in Yerevan that Turkey will
remind the EU at every opportunity that being a member of Europe means
being good neighbors. In fact, the EU acknowledges the issue brought
up by Armenia where the sides have mutual understanding if completion
of negotiation is announced.
In this context the border incident occurs as Armenia tries to refresh
the issue of the Armenian-Turkish border on the European agenda. The
incident occurs on the Armenian side, and the Turkish trespasser is
killed. Crossing a border is a crime indeed, an encroachment on state
security but killing is too extreme a thing to be chosen as a
preventive or stopping measure.
Turkey gains an extra argument to tackle this process. And the Russian
border guards give Turkey this argument, who kill instead of catching
the shepherd.
Moreover, a point of view is kneaded that the Turkish shepherd was not
a shepherd and had other reasons to cross the Armenian border because
he fired at the border guards, as the Russian border guards say.
All the more so, he should not be killed. In such cases, everything
must be done to catch the trespasser and find out the purpose of his
visit. This is the requirement of principles of state security and
professionalism. In this case, the Russian border guards would give
the weapon to Armenia, not Turkey.
So, either border guards lack professionalism if they are unable to
render harmless a trespasser who could hardly have been someone like
Rambo with his equipment and arms, or the Russian border guards
controlling the Armenian-Turkish border are guided by the state
security issues of their own state, rather than the Armenian state.
The result is an Armenian-Turkish, not a Russian-Turkish scandal. And
in its current situation Armenia needs scandals the least because
scandals harm Armenia and empower Turkey to oppose allegations ahead
of the 100th anniversary and development of relations with the EU.
Although the Russian border guards shot the trespasser who officially
perform border guard service, the Republic of Armenia is responsible.
So, Turkey will talk to Armenia, not the Russian Federal Border Guard
Service. The issue is a broader one which has persisted over the past
two decades of the independent state. The border with its paramount
military, political and even geopolitical importance is actually out
of control of Armenia while even the humming of bees may result in an
interstate or a regional scandal. This is an absurd situation.
Besides, incidents can be provocations, mistakes or accidents. It is
not important now that Armenia is responsible for the mistakes or
intentions of the state service of another country. The problem is not
fears from Turkey but the logic of the general situation which renders
Armenia vulnerable, keeping this section of the Armenian-Turkish
border as a source of provocations. In addition, the situation stakes
Russia as well because it is possible to shatter regional stability
and shift responsibility on Russia.
James Hakobyan
11:07 03/08/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30615
From: Baghdasarian