Is Karabakh "shoved" in the same package?
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Head of the Turkish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) thinks the Karabakh conflict and Armenian-Turkish border opening will be resolved in the same package.
It is already 25 days the Protocols on establishing diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been forwarded to the Turkish parliament. The Foreign Relations Commission will publicize its conclusion on December 7.
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu considers the ratification of the protocols as "a big step to change history" and notes that Turkey is concerned over one sensitive issue -the Karabakh conflict.
There should be some progress between Armenian and Azerbaijan otherwise our great initiative will not bring peace, stability and security in the region," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told A1+.
In reply to A1+'s observation that the bilateral protocols carry no provision on the Karabakh conflict, Mr. Çavuşoğlu said: "Why do you think we closed the border? We did it because of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. You say a security zone, while we see a few settlements which speak of "occupied territories," so we closed the border for this reason.
Then he continued: Suppose we open the border. Everything is all right, but tomorrow something happens between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Turkey will have to close the border again. You know our relationship with Azerbaijan."
On the eve of the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border Mr. Çavuşoğlu expects to see all regional issues resolved.
"And if we want peace and stability in the region, all problems must be resolved at the same time. I know it is very difficult to solve the problem between Georgia and Russia, because there is lack of agreement between the two sides. But we must solve the regional problems. And that's why I think this one must also be included in the package."
A1+ observed that the issue of the border opening will be frozen if we wait for the solution to the regional conflicts.
"I hope the border will be opened this year. I hope it will be opened as soon as possible. It is good for everybody. And I hope that the problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia at least some of them will also be resolved. The settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict may take some time, but at least the sides will agree on principles," said the Turkish MP.
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will likely take the post of the PACE President in January, 2010. Under the working order, PACE next president must be a member of the "European Democrats." Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu is thought to be the best candidate.
