– The Azeri foreign affairs ministry spokesman Elhan Polukhov told the Zaman newspaper that Azerbaijan was ready to open the border if Armenia returned the five regions surrounding Karabakh. Polukhov said the following: “In the past the Azeri officials announced that our country was ready to start dialogue with Armenia if the first phase of Karabakh conflict settlement found a solution.” What do you think about this announcement?
– First of all, the spokesman of the Azeri foreign affairs ministry, who likes to refer to adopted documents, should know that Armenia does not have any international obligation to return or not return the territories surrounding Karabakh. There are four documents adopted by the UN Security Council in 1993, none of which does impose any such obligation on Armenia. As for the issue of returning or not returning regions, I think that the foreign affairs ministry representative and generally the elite of the Azeri government are too much optimistic, which I don’t think may be linked in any manner with the negotiation process. It’s about the right of the Karabakhi people for self-determination, which was no respected by Azerbaijan. Furthermore, Azerbaijan tried to force its wish. And if now Azerbaijan wants or intends to open the border with Armenia, or, let’s say, operate the Baku-Nakhijevan railway, this issue should not be linked with the issue of Karabakh.
– Do you think that the current process of developing the Armenian-Turkish relations is linked with the issue of Karabakh?
– Based on the published texts we may assume that these two issues are not linked. It is a pity that both the Turkish and Azeri officials are trying to link the issue of the relations with the issue of Karabakh. If Turkey really wants to develop relations with Armenia, I wander what is the problem if the problem of Karabakh is solved or no. In the same manner, any country may link the issue of developing trade or diplomatic relations with Turkey with the issue of Cyprus. What is the purpose?
– Do you think it is possible that the Turkish parliament does not adopt the signed protocols with the reason that there is no improvement in the issue of Karabakh. In this case what will be the result if the international community applies pressure on Karabakh?
– The Armenian media is full of opinions that Turkey will fail to adopt this document, will link this issue with the conflict of Karabakh, etc. Why do you think that the possibility of opening the border is more beneficial to Armenia then Turkey? It means that Armenia has an opportunity to fail the signing of the documents as well. I don’t think the Armenian party is interested in opening the border too much. Turkey closed the border in 1993 and Armenia has not had any tragedy resulted therefrom during past 16 years.
– As an Armenian what do you think about the signed protocols? Is the recognition of the Turkish border and creation of an intergovernmental commission the price we have to pay?
– Certainly it is hard for Armenians to accept that Turkey is a country with which we can develop intergovernmental relations without fright. On the other hand, Turkey is our neighbor and all what happened in the past more belongs to the past. People and countries should move forward to the future. As for the issue of the genocide, it shall not be subject for discussion. The world perfectly knows that there was genocide of the Armenians in the Ottoman Turkey. From this point of view the facts brought up by Turkey cannot resist the critics. What does it mean to exile people because of security reasons? If so, why don’t they create adequate conditions for the heirs of the so-called exiled people to return to their homes? Why don’t they compensate? I want to admit that the process of the genocide issue recognition will continue notwithstanding anything and nothing can prevent this process. Turks should at least ask for pardon at a governmental level.