Rasim Aghayev: "Prospects of Armenian-Turkish relations currently seem obscure"

- How would you comment on the current state of Armenian-Turkish relations?

- Undoubtedly, the current state of Armenian-Turkish relations cannot be compared with the level of Azerbaijani-Turkish relations, though once the relations between these two countries were growing, particularly, frontier trade between the countries was widely developed, businessmen of the two countries were actively cooperating and Europe imposed pressure on Turkey for it to open borders with Armenia before the resolution of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.

Thus, Europe tried to take Armenia out of the deadlock, in which it led itself by its non-constructive policy, open territorial claims to neighbor countries of the region. Time passed and the world society realized that the incumbent leadership of Armenia, in which only personalities were replaced, but not the court and outlook, creates great problems for establishment of reliable peace in the entire South Caucasus region.

Therefore, pressure on Turkey related to the need to open borders with Armenia has declined and a poor country with lots of both internal and external problems, will not attract too many people. It is not attractive for Turkey as well. Therefore, prospects of Armenian-Turkish relations currently seem obscure to me. Even so more Armenia does not want to reject its main problem-openly declared expansion policy.

- But Armenia has another problem, which is a pathological striving to prove to the world the fact that mythical genocide of Armenians really occurred in the Osman Turkey. How do you assess announcement of President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan that Armenia is not against Turkey's offer about formaiton of a commission which will study  historical facts, but Armenians are ready to start the work only after the borders are open?

- Such announcement demonstrates not only the deadlocked external policy concept of Armenia, which turned not to be able to restore friendly relations with all the South Caucasus countries but also that the leadership of Armenia is already aware of this sad fact for Armenia. In this connection i would like to stress the correctness  of Turkey's offer, which proposed to open all its historical archives to make the issue of "genocide of Armenians" clear stating that history should be death with by historians and not politicians.

As you remember, Armenia's first reaction was the rejection of such initiative. Some time passed, during which Armenia's position has worsened, while Azerbaijan's image and its status in the world is growing, increasing the economic gap between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It all obliges the current leadership of Armenia to make cunny announcements, trying to attain opening of borders from Turkey before making such all-Armenian myth as "genocide of Armenians" in the Osman Turkey, clear.

Though, I think it would be more correct for the future of Armenia to open national discussion, through which the powers of the country could try to explain to their population that at the current stage Armenia needs to disavow the openly declared policy of territorial claims to the neighbor countries and the attempt to persuade the world that "genocide of Armenians" really occurred in 1915 and restore really good neighbor relations with all states of the South Caucasus region.

- Isn't there a risk for incumbent authorities of Armenia that conduction of such a national discussion will lead to sharp criticism of their actions and would result in national upheaval, resulting in the overthrow of political regime in the country?

- I think conduction of such discussions is needed regardless of whether Armenian authorities want it or no. Here Armenian people should say their word and I am sure that there is such potential for it, as majority of ordinary Armenians are far from such ideas as the myth of "genocide" or myth on creation of Great Armenia, which are used by definite politicians in this country to come to power. This is proven by the fact that most Armenians leave their historical motherland in a search of better life and the events, which occurred in Armenia during the recent presidential elections, when Levon Ter-Petrosyan, speaking of the need to establish good neighbor relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, was supported by the majority of Armenians.

At that time, "Karabakh clan" managed to escape the most frustrating results only owing to brutal repressions. But I think that it wasn't Serzh Sargsyan's real victory over his people, as life proves the erroneousness of the way, chosen by the working Armenian authorities.

- And the last question: what should Azerbaijan do in such conditions?

- Azerbaijan should raise its economic and diplomatic superiority over Armenia, establish good neighbor relations with all South Caucasus countries.

But at the same time, our country should restore a dialogue with its own citizens-Nagorno Karabakh Armenians. We should invite them to Baku, demonstrate all advantages they will have within the high status autonomy as part of Azerbaijan, as the worse economic and political situation in Armenia is and the better it is in Azerbaijan, the higher are chances that Nagorno Karabakh Armenians will become aware of the lack of prospects of their policy on self-isolation from Azerbaijan. It is necessary to stop putting fate of the Karabakh conflict to dependance from the next proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group and engage in its just resolution.

/Day.Az/