Aravot’s interlocutor is the head of “Hayatsk” analytical center Anna Karapetyan.
– The European Parliament has recently adopted a report on Turkey with 448 votes in favor, 67 against and 107 abstentions, calling on the country to recognize the Armenian Genocide and to respect its obligations to protect other Armenian cultural heritage. This is despite the fact that Armenian opposition groups claim that Armenia has accepted Turkey’s three preconditions in the process of normalization of relations with Turkey, one of which is the refusal to recognize the Genocide, that the collective West encourages this process. In fact, is the reality different?
– The reality is no different. The West really encourages the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the establishment of diplomatic relations. And this is not news, it has always been so. Here the West, and in particular the United States, is pursuing a matter of self-interest. Once the Armenian-Turkish relations are normalized, there will be no need for a Russian military base in Armenia, one of the main goals of which is to prevent the threat from Turkey.
In other words, the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations is an important issue for the West in terms of weakening Russia’s influence in the region. And this issue will not lose its urgency. Moreover, its urgency has even increased now, as after the 44-day war, Russia’s influence in the region has increased. The West is trying to fight against it, and the current government of Armenia is clearly showing inclinations towards the West.
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Turkey took a direct part in the 44-day war. It provided both political and military assistance to Azerbaijan, relocated terrorists to the region fighting against Artsakh, promoted Azerbaijani preconditions, and the current Armenian government is launching a dialogue on normalization of relations with Turkey and participating in the Turkish-initiated 3 + 3 test. Is there anything strange or illogical about all this?
Head of “Hayatsk” analytical center Anna Karapetyan
As for the preconditions, yes, Turkey has definitely not given up and is not going to give up its preconditions. These preconditions were enshrined in the Shushi Declaration ratified by the parliaments of Azerbaijan and signed in Turkey last year, which entered into force. The Turkish leadership states in an open text that Armenia MUST accept Azerbaijan’s proposals for a settlement, stating that they are synchronizing their dialogue with Armenia with Azerbaijan. What else needs to happen to make sure that Turkey does not abandon its preconditions? Yes, in order to facilitate the process for the Armenian government, in order to weaken the vigilance of the Armenian public, they declare that the Armenian-Turkish dialogue is going on without preconditions. Well, it does not mean anything when everything we mentioned is happening in parallel.
– What is the purpose of such a call of the European Parliament to Turkey in the context of current geopolitical and regional developments?
– Returning to the resolution, it really fits perfectly in the context of geopolitical realities. Amid the war in Ukraine, Turkey today does not fully comply with the political line dictated by the West to its allies; it does not impose sanctions on Russia or suspend dialogue with Moscow. Moreover, Turkey is once again taking advantage of the crisis situation and trying to increase its role in the region, assuming a mediating role. Recall the dialogue between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Turkey, and now the discussions on grain. It is natural that in this situation, the West should whip and pursue a policy of aggression against Ankara, on the one hand, not to allow Turkey to get out of its control, on the other hand, to use Turkish influence in its own interests.
This explains the adoption of the resolution. After all, the resolutions of the European Parliament are a tool to express a political position, they have no binding force, there are no mechanisms to ensure their implementation. This is not the first time that the Armenian Genocide has been mentioned in European Parliament resolutions. But at the same time, this resolution proves that the current situation can create opportunities to advance the Armenian agenda and interests, if, of course, the country’s leadership has the political will to do so. And the current government of Armenia has never stood out with that.
– If we theoretically accept that Turkey will heed that call, what are the possible consequences?
– It is difficult to imagine such a thing.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
