“A new, negative phase is expected in Turkey-Armenia relations,” answered the Editor-in-Chief of “Agos” weekly newspaper Edvard Tandzikyan to the question of Aravot. am: how would you assess the current phase of the Armenia-Turkey negotiations? He noted that the special representatives of Armenia and Turkey last met almost a year ago. According to him, we missed the moment to improve relations. “After the earthquake, groups from Armenia came, help came, and there was a good opportunity, which we missed.
Of course, I want to be optimistic, but again we must wait for the second round of the presidential elections. Erdoğan will probably be re-elected, it appears so. We cannot say anything perfect, but I don’t know where we will be in two months if he is elected president again. But as Turkish-Armenians, we would like these relations to be good, the border to be opened, and a new dialogue between Turkey and Armenia, but it seems difficult.”
To the question: was pointing out the circumstances of the Nemesis statue just an excuse for the Turkish authorities, or was the statue not installed at the right time, the Editor-in-Chief of “Agos” answered: “I think that Nemesis’ move cannot have a good effect on this process. It could be better because they said the border should be opened for third countries, but there was already something in Turkey. In other words, this was expected. This process was connected with Zangezur. In other words, this process will develop when Zangezur is opened, and Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan will be in the same field.
So I didn’t expect much development regarding this process. Therefore, this was a new trump card in the hands of the Turks, and this process will not go forward. Armenia will not remove the monument, and Turkey will not take a new step either because it does not want to take further action in this nationalist atmosphere.”
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To the question: do you see the Armenian-Turkish relations more during the presidency of Kılıçdaroğlu or the presidency of Erdoğan? Edvard Tandzikyan answered: “I don’t expect big changes in Turkey-Armenia relations.” To the question: Are there any Armenian MPs in the Turkish Parliament after these elections? Yedvard Tandzikyan answered: “We have one deputy of Armenian nationality who entered the Parliament with Erdoğan’s party.
From that point of view, there was no essential development. In 2015, MPs were elected from three different directions. Therefore, we have a problem with an Armenian deputy. If we had three, four, or five deputies, the Armenians of Istanbul would feel calmer.”
Edvard Tandzikyan expects small changes in the policy in Armenian-Turkish relations after the elections in Turkey. “The presidential elections have passed into the second round. In the second round, Kılıçdaroğlu’s supporters were worried because they believed they would win this time. The last ten years have passed in such a way that even Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, from the main opposition party, thought that they should succeed this time, but it did not happen again. That creates concern for Kılıchdaroğlu and in the opposition circles. The nationalist circles have already won the majority in the Parliament, so I can’t expect big changes from the Turkish-Armenian relations.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
Istanbul
