How do you see further development of events following the decision by the U.S. Congress House Committee on Foreign Relations on the “Armenian genocide”? You were in Washington and watched the process. In your opinion, will the U.S. bring this process to the end?
The U.S. leaders are very concerned about the Congress committee decision. We saw this in the course of our observations in Washington and from the statements made by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. They urged the congressmen not to go further in this matter. They are aware of Turkey’s harsh attitude to this issue.
Moreover, at a time of serious processes around the world, particularly in the Middle East and at a time when the U.S needs Turkey as an ally, the committee's decision caused a shock. The Obama administration wants to resolve the Armenian-Turkish question not by surgery, but by therapy. Turkey also wants this. Turkey wants a speedy resolution to the Armenian issue. Amid such important processes in the world, Armenian nationalists’ “genocide” and territorial claims look very meaningless and inappropriate.
Taking advantage of general fuss, Armenian nationalists want to play their game and achieve something. The U.S. leaders understand that miserable game of Armenian nationalists could become a serious problem for America. Bringing the Armenian issue to the fore is disadvantageous for the Obama administration at a time the U.S. is trying to solve the Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan problems. The U.S. saw a sharp reaction from Turkey, and the White House immediately made all necessary. I think "genocide" claims will recede into the background over time.
Do you mean Barack Obama will not utter the word “genocide” on April 24?
It must be noted that compared with the Bush administration, the Obama administration is not so zealously trying to resist "genocide" decision. The current U.S. administration is in debt to the Armenian lobby for financial assistance in the election campaign. And a debt must be repaid. But this debt can cost much because of problems with Turkey.
So, I do not think that the U.S. is interested in continuing the process of "genocide". It is hard to predict what will happen on April 24. To demonstrate his indifference to Turkey’s reaction, Barack Obama can pronounce the word "genocide" on April 24. But this means that the process of so-called "genocide" will continue.
After the U.S. House committee’s approval of the Resolution 252, does Ankara doubt about a need to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols?
Turkey should withdraw the protocols from the Turkish Parliament after this decision. We have recalled our ambassador to the United States. But this reaction is not enough. We must show that a decision on the so-called "genocide" is an obstacle to the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.
We have previously said we will not sign the protocols until the Karabakh problem is resolved. The U.S. claimed that the Karabakh problem has nothing to do with the Armenian-Turkish relations. Now this decision on the so-called "genocide" is our trump card. We must say that the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations is impossible while there is such a slander.
Even during the negotiations on the signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocols we warned the government that it would not be the key to solving the problems between Yerevan and Ankara. The Armenian Constitutional Court decision once again confirmed that we were right. After this decision we proposed the government to withdraw the protocols from the parliament. But the government chose to wait.
Then we received a second blow by the U.S. congressional committee decision. In this situation, the ratification of protocols can lead to undesirable consequences for Turkey. The Armenian-Turkish protocol have "died" for us after the U.S. Congress committee’s recent move.
We must remember the promise Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made in the Azerbaijani parliament in May 2009. He promised the Azerbaijani people not to ratify the protocols till the Karabakh problem is resolved. Turkey must keep its word. We see that the Karabakh problem is not solved, and that Armenia drags out the process. Under these conditions there is no need to keep the protocols in the Turkish Parliament. These protocols lost all meaning after March 4.
The United States, which advises us to improve relations with Armenia and always declares its commitment to democratic values, grossly violated the very principles of a vote and adopted a decision on the so-called "genocide." This decision completely ruined the protocol process.
The media have recently been discussing the Turkish-Russian warming and bilateral cooperation in the nuclear field. Is it possible that the U.S. took this step because of dissatisfaction with the process to put pressure on Turkey?
Turkey has a good relationship with Russia and they are improving. But cooperation between the two countries in the nuclear field is irrelevant. I do not think that Russia wants Turkey to become a nuclear power. On the other hand, the U.S. is seriously concerned over Iran’s nuclear program and is doing everything necessary to stop these programs. At that point, Turkey does not want to create another crisis engaging in a nuclear issue.
But the U.S. has plans to deploy missiles in Turkey. It wanted to deploy missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. But Russia objected, and the States abandoned the idea. Now they have an idea to deploy missiles in Anatolia. They attribute it to hypothetical threats from Russia. But, in fact, these missiles are intended for Iran, but not Russia.
Turkey should not allow the U.S. to use its territory as a springboard for attacks on Iran. Iran is our closest neighbor and friendly country for Turkey. I am against U.S. intentions to threaten Turkey’s neighbors with missiles located in Anatolia or military ships in the Aegean Sea. Certainly, Turkey will reject U.S. plans to deploy missiles.
Following the decision by U.S. House Congress committee, there were proposals to close the Incirlik base and withdraw soldiers from Afghanistan...
It's too much. To voice our protest, we recalled ambassador to Washington, reminded the U.S. of a need to return Turkey’s debts and explained that we can refuse to participate in the Iranian campaign. This can include also withdrawal of the protocols from the parliament. I think that this will suffice for today. We cannot use all the cards at once. In any case, it is not necessary to become enemies with the United States because of the decision on the so-called "genocide". Simply, everyone should understand his own mistake.
Day.Az
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