Turkish MP: We will not ratify protocols and open borders with Armenia until Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is finally resolved

In your opinion, are Turkey-Armenia protocols likely to be ratified and the borders between the two countries to be opened this year?

Turkish leaders have reiterated on many occasions that Turkey-Armenia relations cannot be established till the Karabakh conflict is resolved within Azerbaijan’s interests. Turkey will do nothing contrary to Azerbaijan’s interests in order to establish relations with Armenia. Turkey is very sensitive to the issues related to Azerbaijan. The Turkish nation is committed to protecting Azerbaijan’s interests.

On the other hand, there is an anger at Armenians’ actions against Turks in the Turkish society. These two aspects will not allow Turkey to pass a decision to detriment of Azerbaijan’s interests.

The protocols need to ratified by the parliament first so that they can be implemented. But this is impossible in near future. Turkish public opinion is seriously pressing on the parliament in this matter. The Turkish people are against these protocols. The protocols are result of the regional situation and international pressure. Turkish parliamentarians elected by the people will not act against will of the people. If they do, they will be compelled to resign. We will not ratify the protocols and open borders with Armenia until the Karabakh conflict is finally solved.

Turkish President Gul recently stated that “something is being cooked in the kitchen” referring to relations with Armenia. In your opinion, what did he mean?

I do not know details of this process. But I can say for sure that the food which is being prepared in the kitchen will not poison the relations between the Turkic peoples. Nothing against Azerbaijan will be done during any backroom negotiations either. Any decision made by Turkey will be in line with Azerbaijan’s interests. The Turkish people constantly press on the government to engage in activities to ensure return of the Azerbaijan occupied territories. The government is making every effort to do so. Today, we are more interested in a just solution to the Karabakh problem, rather than establishment of relations with Armenia.  Not Armenia, but Azerbaijan is more important for us.

How do you assess the OSCE Minsk Group efforts to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

The OSCE Minsk Group is actually a dead body. It has not made any progress in resolving the Karabakh conflict for many years of its activity. Turkey wants to revive activities of the Minsk Group. In fact, Turkey’s consent to discuss the protocols also aimed to draw world attention to the Karabakh problem. Turkey recalled all including the Minsk Group member countries that there is Karabakh conflict in the South Caucasus and development in the region impossible without its solution.

The South Caucasus is a priority for the West. The West was closely involved with the Abkhaz and South Ossetian problems while ignoring the Karabakh conflict. But Turkey drew attention to this problem. The West decided to use Turkey’s influence to end Russian influence on Armenia and involve it to its South Caucasus projects. But all have to reckon with Turkey’s opinion in this matter. Turkey explained the West that if it wants Armenia to develop and get actively involved in the processes in the South Caucasus, it must contribute to solving the Karabakh problem.

Conflicts in the South Caucasus hamper the region’s integration into the NATO. What can the Alliance do to solve these conflicts?

NATO is currently engaged in solving conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Simultaneously, the Alliance is involved in solving a number of local conflicts. That is why NATO does not want to interfere in another conflict. The Alliance’s current policy is to involve the South Caucasus into the transatlantic area. Georgia was NATO’s first objective. But the Alliance faced a serious challenge here in the face of Russia. August events in 2008, the problems associated with South Ossetia and Abkhazia forced NATO to take a step back. Alliance did not want engage in an open conflict with Russia in this region. But integration of South Caucasus into NATO is one of the major long-term political lines of the Alliance.  

The region is located in the middle of Russia and Iran, two NATO opponents. In the meantime, the South Caucasus is the main entrance to Central Asia for NATO. Resolving the South Caucasus conflicts is important for military security of the region on one hand and for energy security on the other.

Energy resources of the Caspian Sea are exported to the western market via the South Caucasus and Turkey. All these factors indicate that there is no other way for Armenia's future, than to integrate into the West. And the country’s only way to the West lies through Turkey.

Armenia’s long-term conflict situation with Turkey which is the only way to the Western world for Armenia and an important NATO member in the region, may end up very sad for the country. Many do not understand that it Armenia, unlike some pro-Armenian circles in the West. That is why they try to end Armenia’s dependence on Russian. NATO refers to the three South Caucasus countries with a single prism and sees the future of the region in peaceful coexistence and development of all three states.

NATO has declared fight against international terrorism a top priority of its activities. It's no secret that Nagorno-Karabakh is a haven for terrorists. The Azerbaijani ]media and certain political circles have reiterated many times that PKK has deployed bases in Nagorno-Karabakh ...

After September 11, NATO and the West focused its attention on the fight against terrorism. Western countries are well aware that peace and tranquility in the world is impossible amid wide-spread terrorism. As a result of the long struggle by Turkey, the United States and European countries recognized the PKK as a terrorist organization and the West has created an opportunity for Turkey to eliminate PKK bases in northern Iraq. Today, Northern Iraq is being cleared from the PKK and their transition to the South Caucasus is undesirable.

We can not accept establishment of the PKK bases in Nagorno-Karabakh. NATO will certainly oppose this. We have informed the Alliance about establishment of PKK bases in Armenia and Karabakh. But we will not be limited to this. Mere political statements cannot yield result. Armenia will certainly refute this information. We need to have reliable intelligence data. As soon as we receive such data, we can demand NATO and Western countries to prevent dangers of PKK’s transition to the South Caucasus.

One of Turkey’s main goals is to prevent PKK’s expansion. Before planing a military operation against the PKK and other terrorist groups in Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey needs to think about a fight against this with help of the international political pressure.

Information on presence of PKK bases in Karabakh are important both for Turkey and Azerbaijan. We can use this fact in a political campaign against Armenia and Karabakh separatist regime. There is a need to socialize this issue and bring to the attention of the international community that Karabakh is a target not only for the Armenian, but also PKK terrorists.