“I don’t think that anyone who was elected would have made any difference. That is a state policy, and this or that president can’t change state policy. So, there is no big difference for us from the point of view of Armenian-Turkish relations” Tigran Altun, an Armenian figure in Istanbul, expressed this opinion in a conversation with Armenian journalists, referring to the questions of which candidate’s victory in the presidential elections in Turkey is the most beneficial for Armenian-Turkish relations from the point of view of regulation of relations.
Tigran Altun believes that Azerbaijan has so much influence on Turkey, especially since it has many investments in Turkey, that Turkey can no longer ignore Azerbaijan and do any policy; they have to follow the policy of Azerbaijan. He continued: “Today’s interests are that Turkey should always be next to Azerbaijan, and these issues will not be resolved if Azerbaijan does not want to resolve them. Individuals do not determine it. It is a state policy or the state’s interests that everyone who comes must pursue those interests.”
To Aravot.am’s question, is it possible that if Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is elected, he will make relations with Armenia even tougher? Tigran Altun answered: “I don’t think there will be any more hardening. Probably, these conversations will continue. I think that Turkey should somehow find a language with Armenia, just as Armenia should find a language with Turkey. After all, they are neighbors, and Europe and the USA are putting a lot of pressure to resolve the issues somehow.”
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Tigran Altun responded to the observation that Kemal Kılıchdaroğlu is known as a pro-Western figure. “I don’t think the party will allow him to do his personal thoughts or what he wants. Erdoğan is religious but not so nationalist. If there is a Christian believer who believes, Erdoğan will respect him because he is religious, but others are more nationalist than Erdogan.” Tigran Altun answered the question: How do you assess the chances of the two presidential candidates? “It is not only the presidential election, but also the election of parliament members. Somehow you see now that Erdoğan has already taken the majority in the National Assembly; probably, Erdoğan will win because the people will think that if those parties are the majority in the parliament, the president should be theirs. If the president is Kılıchdaroğlu, the parliament and the president will have to fight against each other. Erdoğan has already collected more than 49 percent; if a small part of the votes for the third candidate is given to Erdoğan, he will pass.”
Tigran Altun answered to what are the expectations if Erdoğan is elected. “Whatever the people wanted to hear, against the USA and Europe, Erdoğan used those words. But Turkey depends on Europe and the USA. Turkey has a debt of 500 billion dollars today. These debts belong to the West; everything is in their hands. In other words, how will it be separated from the USA and Europe if people want their debts? It has an army linked to NATO. It is impossible to change to the east at once. So probably Erdoğan will continue in the same way.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
