Expecting a public relations nightmare during the Armenian Genocide Centennial, Turkish officials are anxious to prevent further damage to their country’s already tarnished reputation.
Even though they have no intention of opening the border with Armenia, Turkey’s leaders are pretending to do so by constantly issuing fake conciliatory statements. By falsely claiming that Turkey is in the process of patching up its differences with Armenia, Ankara’s hidden agenda is to discourage additional countries from recognizing the genocide.
However, given Azerbaijan’s paranoid reaction to any talk of Turkey opening its border with Armenia, Turkish officials are forced to retreat by warning that the Armenia-Turkey border will remain closed unless “progress” is made on the Karabagh (Artsakh) issue.
Such contradictory statements have been issued countless times, ever since Armenia and Turkey signed the protocols in 2009 to open their mutual border and establish diplomatic relations. As recently as last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a closed session of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee that preparations are underway to open the border with Armenia. When confronted by an opposition parliamentarian about Turkey’s true intentions, Davutoglu quickly reversed himself, stating that Armenia must first withdraw from Karabagh before the border can be opened.
The foreign minister made similar remarks a month ago while visiting Switzerland, when he announced that Turkey was looking for “creative ideas” to improve its relations with Armenia. Davutoglu’s creative, or rather clever, ploy is to avoid looking like an obstructionist, while making excuses for his country’s refusal to ratify the protocols.
Back in 2009, the Turkish government appeared eager to ratify the protocols, which included various extraneous matters, including the formation of a committee of historians to study archival documents on the Armenian Genocide. When Azerbaijan vehemently objected to Turkish plans to open the border with Armenia, Turkey announced that it could no longer ratify the protocols, even though it was clearly in its national interest to do so. Thus, despite its claims of being a major regional power, Turkey caved in to Azerbaijan’s veto. During his remarks in the Turkish Parliament on Nov. 6, Davutoglu sheepishly reiterated that his country would open its border with Armenia only after obtaining Azerbaijan’s permission.
Clearly embarrassed by this leak to the press, a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman denied that Davutoglu had made such a statement. This is not a credible denial as Turkish officials have made similar statements many times before. One plausible explanation for reviving the prospect of opening the border and railway link to Armenia could be Turkey’s intent to pressure the newly elected president of Georgia, who refuses to support the long-planned Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway that was expected to circumvent Armenia.
To put an end to continuous Turkish exploitation of the protocols, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian should carry out his promise of three years ago, when he warned that unless Turkey “shortly” ratified the protocols, he would reconsider his position on this issue, implying that Armenia would withdraw from this agreement. Since the protocols are still not ratified four years after they were signed, Sarkisian should declare them null and void.
Understandably, Armenian officials are reluctant to take such a drastic step, as they are concerned that the major powers would blame them for the protocols’ failure. Armenia would prefer that the Turkish side be the first to withdraw from the protocols, and thereby bear the blame for the collapse. Turkish officials could be playing the same blame game, by waiting for Armenia to be the first to withdraw.
In my view, Armenia can no longer afford to wait. With the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide less than 18 months away, Armenia’s president should do what he promised 3 years ago and withdraw his government’s signature from the ill-fated protocols. Armenia cannot be blamed for this action, as Turkish officials have repeatedly announced that they have no intention of ratifying the protocols.
Not surprisingly, last week Davutoglu also declared that Turkish efforts to counter Armenian plans for the 100th anniversary of the genocide are moving forward “at full speed.” In order to keep Turkey from undermining worldwide Armenian commemorations for the Genocide Centennial, Armenia’s leaders must renounce the protocols long before April 24, 2015.
Furthermore, given the Turkish government’s century-old intransigence to acknowledge its culpability for the genocide and refusal to make appropriate amends, Armenian officials should announce that they plan to seek justice, at long last, by applying to local, regional, and international courts.
Harut Sassounian
“already tarnished” is a perfect way to describe the turkish reputation.
The last thing Armenia needs is an open boarder to West Armenia! This would lead to a recognition of the lost lands! We should concentrate to free Javakh and Ajaria…
I agree Hagop,¨the last thing RA needs is open border w/great Turkey,if latter is reluctant to admit to Genocide culpability.
First things first.
1.In order to have open borders with a neighb our country-diplomatic relations.
2.We do not have diplomatice relations w/great Turkey,because they have refused to accept culpability and make amends.
Without above the protocols do not mean a thing, even though at the time these were imposed upon Armenia,they cannot go against the above two main issues without the consent of the Armenian people Globally!!!!
This means ,even if Ra is pressed to go ahead and sign it,ratify it,it will be a ¨useless¨ document as it has been forced upon.Same as the Lausanne Treaty was imposed upon us-I wrote on another thread-while our legitimate 2 delegatges , Avedis Aharonian and Nubar Boghos were refused to participate and stayed behind the doors of the Hotel Beau Rivage in Lause…
We were weak then very weak, like the phoenix we then emerged from ashes..and in 1983 our Wrodl armenian Congress in the same hall DECLARED IT NULL!!!
This means such protocols and Treaties,if IMPOSED UPON do not carry value.The Armenian people worldwide is against such imposed upon treaties.These cannot be of value.
Right now though the attn of all Armeniasn should be shifted to Artsakh-NK recognition by RA. Since only couple days ago Aliev-Gul reiterated their decision that their attn is directed to MK solution and that IS THEIR MAIN-basic ISSUE!!!!
If they so declare as to states -one nation-wise why shouldn´t RA/Artsakh do so AT ONCE!!!!
Some things are not being considered here, which should be considered. ONE – Armenia is economically crippled and trapped. Sure, it is wrong to sell out, I get that.. but an open border with Turkey is actually an open border with Kurdish-populated region whose sentiments towards Turkey are in line with ours.
Furthermore, if you have been following ARF-PKK relations lately you will see strong self interest on both sides for stronger ties. There is an opportunity here for Armenia to connect with, not the “hands” of the genocide as many like to label the Kurds, but the only ones in Turkey who admit and apologize about what happened — mainly because they realize Turks did the same thing to them by denying culture, land, and freedom after establishing the Republic of Turkey.
I can see economic improvement for Armenia in an open border. I think the economic issue in Armenia is important to Armenians within the Republic of Armenia. It is easier from the comforts of our cozy couches in LA or Boston to focus on the Genocide issue and not see the sad reality happening in Armenia RIGHT NOW — which is emigration and poverty.
Again, the genocide issue is important to us, no doubt, but it should be separated from the economic issues. We shouldn’t compromise Karabakh for an open border — no. But we should consider an open border with Turkey as something in our self interest.
I know it’s easier said than done, and things are not as “separate” and simple as it may seem from my comments, but these are my thoughts on the issue!
Nareg,
I wish you would consent that great Turkey’s wrath has no bounds.The moment your “thought”s are tried.That of open borders ,this in an illegal way-meaning without great Turkey’s assent,latter will close eyes and let Kurds have more contact with Armenians,do business trade culture etc.Meanwhile you ought to consider in such a case, the STATE,that still-by then-rules the area,Turkey, will crush the kurds,as it has done before with its mighty army and voila.there you have clandestine rapprochement between Armeni and non-existant kurdistan-only k u r d s dealing with Armenians.this is exactly what great Turkey lieks best.To give them reason to CRUSH brutally any such clandestine move….
it is another thing if first and foremost a real conciliation is realized,which I see very far fetched.
Unless, the powers to be or are press great Turkey to extend real hand to Armenians ,accepting their Genocide culpability and make amends.then indeed we can go ahead with the settlement of borders issue with kurds,if latter ALSO ARE GRANTED BY POWERS TO BE AN INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN to make Turkey realize they cannot get too big for their boots.
Do not be surprized this may happen.it happened when iran’s ex Shah got too big for his boots and invaded an island in the Gulf…
Lets take it one step further. We in the diaspora are the descendants of the owners of Western Armenia, who had their lands and property stolen from them during the commission of the crime of genocide. We should stop wasting our resources and time arguing with turkish criminals about whether or not genocide was perpetrated. It’s a fact, period. Instead we should elect a government-in-exile to represent us in obtaining reparations. Now that would truly be a public relations nightmare.
David, descendant of Western Armenians are part of World’s Armenian Nation. Armenian Genocide is tragedy of entire Armenian Nation of the world, regardless if Genocide happened in Western part or Eastern part. We have one flag and one country, East and West together!If Monte and his comrades liberated Artsakh, then we are capable to liberate our beloved Western part!!
David, I like the way you think.
David,
Your desired Westerm Armenian Council*parliament,has been establishsed with headquarters in Paris ,since a few yrs ago..
Why they cannot forge ahead and make a splash-if not a real effect,is because, they are few, not an enormouse entity I SUGGEST.That of a Western armenian World Supreme Council and……
this through a 100,000 strong Professional Colleagues ,PLUS a NATIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST FUND in Geneva,CH.
For my friend without Financial POWER we cannot achieve much!!!