Armenian expert says U.S. offers Turkey compromise options for resuming rail links with Armenia
11.10.2011,
18:45
Artak Shakarian, an Armenian expert in Turkish studies, said to a news conference Monday that some U.S. government agencies had offered Turkey several compromise options of resuming rail links with Armenia by circumventing the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
YEREVAN, October 11. / ARKA /. Artak Shakarian, an Armenian expert in Turkish studies, said to a news conference Monday that some U.S. government agencies had offered Turkey several compromise options of resuming rail links with Armenia by circumventing the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
Speaking at Novosti International Press Center Shakarian said October 10 marked the second anniversary of the signing of Armenian-Turkish protocols in Zurich, Switzerland, that committed the sides to establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of borders.
He said one of these options implies the opening of a railway ling from Turkish Kars to Armenian Gyumri but on condition that it will extend further to Azerbaijani exclave Nakhichevan that does not have direct overland link with Azerbaijan.
Shakarian said this option would satisfy Armenia, Turkey, Russia that operates Armenia’s railroads under a concessional contract, as well as the United States. Shakarian believes also that Ankara may open the border with Armenia without ratification of the Zurich protocols on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide to be marked April 24, 2015, but then close it in May.
He said it is not clear whether Armenia is ready for an open border with Turkey and the increased Armenian-Turkish trade. He said Armenian goods, which could potentially be exported to Turkey, are subject in that country to a 300 percent customs duty.
He further said that in 2013-2014 Turkey will be seeking to fill the media with positive information, in particular, will allow continued liturgies in the Armenian Church on Akhtamar Island and open flights between Turkish Van and Yerevan.
Shakarian commented also on a statement made here by French president Nicolas Sarkozy who said that Paris may pass a law to criminalize the denial of the Armenian Genocide if Turkey refuses to recognize the Armenian genocide.
Shakarian said France will have next year presidential election and the Armenian electorate there is quite strong and Sarkozy’s statement was primarily meant for them. He added that this statement will not have a strong influence on French-Turkish economic relations.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally, Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan. There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara’s blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process and Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as a genocide.
The thaw in the strained relations began in 2008 September after Turkish president Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia, at his counterpart’s invitation, to watch together with Serzh Sargsyan the 2010 World Cup qualifying football game between the two countries’ national teams. In 2009 October Armenia and Turkey signed two protocols in Zurich. They committed the two neighboring nations to establish diplomatic relation and open the Turkish-Armenian border which Ankara closed in 1993 in a show of support for Azerbaijan. The Turkish government has repeatedly made clear that it will not ensure the protocols' ratification by Turkey's parliament before a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Baku. Yerevan rejects this linkage, saying that it contradicts the letter and the spirit of the U.S.-backed agreements. Citing the Turkish precondition, president Serzh Sargsyan suspended the process of Armenian parliamentary ratification of the protocols in April 2009. But he stopped short of formally annulling them. -0-
Speaking at Novosti International Press Center Shakarian said October 10 marked the second anniversary of the signing of Armenian-Turkish protocols in Zurich, Switzerland, that committed the sides to establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of borders.
He said one of these options implies the opening of a railway ling from Turkish Kars to Armenian Gyumri but on condition that it will extend further to Azerbaijani exclave Nakhichevan that does not have direct overland link with Azerbaijan.
Shakarian said this option would satisfy Armenia, Turkey, Russia that operates Armenia’s railroads under a concessional contract, as well as the United States. Shakarian believes also that Ankara may open the border with Armenia without ratification of the Zurich protocols on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide to be marked April 24, 2015, but then close it in May.
He said it is not clear whether Armenia is ready for an open border with Turkey and the increased Armenian-Turkish trade. He said Armenian goods, which could potentially be exported to Turkey, are subject in that country to a 300 percent customs duty.
He further said that in 2013-2014 Turkey will be seeking to fill the media with positive information, in particular, will allow continued liturgies in the Armenian Church on Akhtamar Island and open flights between Turkish Van and Yerevan.
Shakarian commented also on a statement made here by French president Nicolas Sarkozy who said that Paris may pass a law to criminalize the denial of the Armenian Genocide if Turkey refuses to recognize the Armenian genocide.
Shakarian said France will have next year presidential election and the Armenian electorate there is quite strong and Sarkozy’s statement was primarily meant for them. He added that this statement will not have a strong influence on French-Turkish economic relations.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally, Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan. There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara’s blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process and Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as a genocide.
The thaw in the strained relations began in 2008 September after Turkish president Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia, at his counterpart’s invitation, to watch together with Serzh Sargsyan the 2010 World Cup qualifying football game between the two countries’ national teams. In 2009 October Armenia and Turkey signed two protocols in Zurich. They committed the two neighboring nations to establish diplomatic relation and open the Turkish-Armenian border which Ankara closed in 1993 in a show of support for Azerbaijan. The Turkish government has repeatedly made clear that it will not ensure the protocols' ratification by Turkey's parliament before a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Baku. Yerevan rejects this linkage, saying that it contradicts the letter and the spirit of the U.S.-backed agreements. Citing the Turkish precondition, president Serzh Sargsyan suspended the process of Armenian parliamentary ratification of the protocols in April 2009. But he stopped short of formally annulling them. -0-
