FULYA ÖZERKAN – Hurriyet Daily News
Turkey is planning to introduce a fresh set of confidence-building measures as part of normalization efforts with neighboring Armenia. Sources close to the Yerevan government described these measures as “small, symbolic steps that go beyond church restoration.”
The Hürriyet Daily News has learned that a decision was made by the Turkish side to send positive signals to the Armenian side. One of the plans in the works was said to be the opening of an office in the Armenian capital by national carrier Turkish Airlines, or THY.
“It is not finalized yet but it is a serious consideration,” one source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The idea is to help Armenians and members of the Armenian diaspora get to know Istanbul and modern Turkey by traveling to and from Yerevan via THY’s new direct flights between Los Angeles and Istanbul.
Sources said the idea also offered the opportunity to open up other markets because Iranians will fly to Yerevan and then to Istanbul. Turkish Airlines is also symbolically important in Turkish foreign policy.
The second plan involves the establishment of new charter flights between Turkey’s eastern city of Van and Yerevan, which would require upgrading the airport in the Armenian capital. Both plans will be implemented soon, the sources said.
A regional tour including Armenia
The Daily News has also learned that there is an idea on the table for Turkish Education Ministry officials to visit Armenia, not bilaterally but as part of a regional tour that may also include a visit with the Georgian education minister.
“We won’t see anything until 2013, or 2014, as it seems the Turkish government wants time to deal with other regional challenges before returning to the Armenian issue,” one source said.
Turkey is currently facing many more pressing challenges on the foreign-policy front, including the presence of about 10,000 Syrian refugees, the Libya crisis, troubled relations with Israel, the Cyprus deadlock and the Kurdish issue. All of these issues have made the Armenian one a lesser priority.
US wants to play direct role
Despite all the challenges, however, it has been learned that the Turkish side showed more willingness during U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit last weekend that it will lay the groundwork and keep working on normalizing relations with Armenia.
“The Americans also want to play more of a direct role as a third party in the Turkish-Armenian normalization process,” one source said, noting that Swiss mediation was also ongoing.
Opening border crossings, not border
Turkey and Armenia signed protocols in 2009 to normalize relations. Since then talks have stalled for a number of reasons, but according to the plans, the two sides will take the ideas from the protocols and implement them without bringing the documents to the floors of their respective parliaments, a move that would ease the burden.
“The idea is not opening the border but opening the border crossings between Turkey and Armenia. This is the subject of the third-party mediation, the secret diplomacy,” one source said. “The Armenian side right now has [given] the message that ‘We are waiting for Turkey’ and a second message that ‘Armenian patience won’t last forever.’ That’s why these confidence-building measures are important.”
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