Washington DC based Brookings Institution Turkey Project Director Ömer Taspinar stated that he is not optimistic about the relations and the process of protocols between Turkey and Armenia. "Although Justice and Development Party Government struggles to make brave steps, the Kurdish opening initiative turned into a fiasco and Armenia opening crashed on nationalism," said he.
Speaking at a meeting in Rumi Forum, Taspinar said that new problems emerge in the process of Zurich protocols periodically. Stating that Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan accepted establishment of a joint committee of historians for investigation of 1915 incidents despite external and domestic opposition, Taspinar said, "On the other hand, the political risk that Armenian President took is not well understood in Turkey." Stressing that the reaction of the Armenian Constitutional Court to the protocols should be understood righteously, Taspinar said, "A state and a nation define itself totally with genocide. It should not be expected for them to make steps backward in genocide issue immediately." Underscoring that Turkey reacts to the steps of Armenia ignoring this fact, Taspinar said that Turkey should develop empathy to understand Armenian diaspora and Armenian people. "Turkey established its story of foundation over victories, on the other hand Armenian diaspora and Armenia are founded after the process of genocide," said he.
Stating that Justice and Development Party Government has concerns about elections as every political party and therefore it does not have the political will to revive protocols, Taspinar said that Kurdish opening initiative turned into a fiasco and Armenia opening crashed on nationalism. "In fact, depending on its self confidence, Turkey should open the borders and establish diplomatic relations with Armenia. If Justice and Development Party (JDP) was strong at home, the things would be easier for Turkey. That case, JDP government would be able to take risks and would be able to announce that protocols will be introduced into parliament without setting resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh problem as a precondition. Prime Minister Erdogan does not feel strong at home and therefore he does not want to give more ammunition to the nationalist wing by introducing protocols to the parliament."
Evaluating these political conditions and agenda of elections in Turkey, Taspinar said that he is not optimistic about the future of Turkey-Armenia protocols. "A historical occasion may be missed," said he.
YILDIZ YAZICIOGLU, Washington DC-TurkishNY.com
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