The European functionaries, even several analysts in Armenia think that it can
“If Ankara wants to contribute to the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process, it has to normalize its relations with Yerevan”, said Sabine Freizer, the Director of the Europe Program of the International Crisis Group, in Baku at the end of last week. Stressing that Ankara has interesting ideas concerning the resolution of the conflict, Madam Director also added, “But Turkey has border problem with Armenia. If Turkey wants to make any contribution to the negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, to join the process from positive aspect, it first of all should normalize the relations with Armenia.”
Lamberto Zannier, the newly-elected OSCE Secretary General, had spoken about the “settling role” of Turkey in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue a few days before Freizer. He stated during an interview with Today’s Zaman that Turkey could play an important role in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, “Turkey is an important player in the region. It has a political contribution to offer”, he said, clarifying that he was not talking about a formal role in the negotiations, but in real terms. “Bordering both countries involved in the conflict, Turkey needs to create conditions to promote dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan”, said Zannier. Talking about the negotiation process, the OSCE Secretary General stated a fact that no progress was happening and that it was up to the parties involved in the conflict to step up to the plate, “There is a lot of focus on the mechanism, but there is also an issue of whether the parties are ready to make a deal. You can lead a horse to water but you cannot force the horse to drink. We are trying to manage the situation on the ground, but the situation becomes problematic in security terms”, figuratively compared the OSCE official, mentioning that if they solved the conflict, then the next best thing they could do was manage the problem so it did not grow worse.
It is not a secret, nor is it novel that Turkey always longed for playing a certain role in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process. However, it is novel that the European officials positively respond to Turkey’s claims. Every time Turkey just mentioned its participation in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process, the international community would make it absolutely clear that they didn’t think it was necessary. When asked the following question, now when Europe tries to play the leading role why do the European functionaries speak so positively about Turkey’s influence in this conflict settlement, Edgar Vardanyan, an expert of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies, said, “Turkey has been a candidate for EU membership for a long time, but it cannot become a member of that organization because of a set of problems. And the European Union that tries to be actively involved in the negotiation process and given Turkey’s role in the region, tries to use it for the benefit of solving issues important for it, such as the Karabakh issue, encouraging Turkey by the prospect of showing more favorable attitude toward its membership of the European Union.
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I must also mention that the European functionaries see that there is no progress in the negotiation process itself and try to find other ways that can contribute to overcoming obstacles for the conflict settlement during the negotiations.”
In any case, my interlocutor, as opposed to many other politicians in Armenia, is rather optimistic and doesn’t try to evade Turkey’s participation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement in a certain format. In response to “Aravot’s” question whether he thought it was possible that Turkey participated in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process in a certain format, he said, “I think that from the above-mentioned perspective, the most Turkey can do is to work more closely with its ally Azerbaijan aiming at changing in a way its non-constructive position.”
NELLY GRIGORYAN
