HistoryofTruth.com - Armenian Allegations

In an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman, Yalcin Topcu, the new head of the BBP, explained his views on a range of topics from foreign policy to domestic issues. Talking about the possible normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations, the pro-nationalist party leader Topcu said he feels for the suffering of the Armenian people, who have been hit by high unemployment and a lack of basic food supplies in the landlocked country. “We enjoyed our weddings together, laughed together and became sad when something unfortunate happened in the past,” he said, adding that his party is not against the Armenian people. He warned, however, of the government of Armenia along with the diaspora acting against the interests of Turkey.

“We will never break away from the ties of brotherhood we have established with Azerbaijan,” Topcu noted. He stated that any steps taken by Turkey in the normalization process should be preceded by a resolution of the conflict in the Armenian-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region. “Our relations with Armenia should be based on mutual interest while respecting international law,” he said.

When it comes to relations with the Russian Federation, the BBP leader urges a complete overhaul in the thinking of Turkish foreign policy makers. “We need to abandon the Cold War era mentality when approaching Russia,” Topcu said, noting that both countries share the same geography. He also asked the government to formulate its relations with Russia based on its own interests rather than from the vantage point of US-Turkish relations. “We do not have to shape our policies with our neighbors from the screen door of transatlantic relations,” he noted. He also emphasized that Turkey is not competing with Russia in the neighborhood but rather that they complement each other.