KARABAKH ISSUE IN THE CONTEXT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
MASIS MAYILIAN
Lragir.am
13:39:02 – 25/12/2008
It is considered that the solution of the Karabakh conflict is the key
to any substantial progress towards ensuring security and achieving
agreement on cooperation in the South Caucasus. The fact is that this
conflict directly collides two recognized and one ‘non-recognized’
states (actually half of six entities of the region). It is obvious
that the sustainable peace is possible in the case if it takes into
account the interests of all parties to the conflict.
What concerns the Karabakh side most of all?
I think that the core issue of the Karabakh problem is the
secure living of the Armenian population of the region in its own
homeland. The Armenian people of Karabakh are the autochthonic people
on this territory, and it is an undisputable fact.
The problem of Nagorno Karabakh first emerged in 1918 after the
collapse of the Russian Empire – in connection with the necessity of
the territorial delimitation among the newly independent Armenia and
Azerbaijan. This dispute became an issue of consideration of the League
of Nations, it lasted to 1921, when after the Sovietization of Armenia
and Azerbaijan the Bolshevik Party made a decision to hand over Nagorno
Karabakh to the Soviet Azerbaijan on the rights of autonomy. That
decision did not take into account the will of the Karabakh Armenians,
who then made up more than 90% of the population of the region.
In Karabakh the aged people remember how in the period of Nagorno
Karabakh’s being within the Azerbaijani SSR, the republican authorities
systematically had violated the rights of the Karabakh Armenians,
pursuing the repressive policy, aimed at changing the demographic
picture of Artsakh.
The natural development of economy was oppressed; it was artificially
locked toward the other regions of Azerbaijan and contributed
to influx of the ethnic Azerbaijanis to the region. The Karabakh
Armenians suffered from the whole heaviness and cruelty of the Soviet
repressive apparatus. There had been murder cases, disappearances
of people and tortures, voluntary arrests, demonstrative trials over
political prisoners, suppressions of dissidents and open deportation
of residents of dozens of populated settlements.
The present generation of the Karabakh people underwent the real
threat of complete annihilation in the course of the large scale armed
aggression, launched by Azerbaijan in 1992. Only at the expense of
huge human and material losses the people of Karabakh had managed to
stop the war, which touched upon practically each Karabakh family,
thousands of people died.
And while in the Soviet times Azerbaijan conducted relatively careful
(watching the Kremlin’s reaction) policy of pushing away the indigenous
Armenian population, then after the collapse of the Soviet Union the
Azerbaijani political l eadership applied to an open violent measures
and direct armed aggression against Karabakh.
Thus, Azerbaijan since its first appearance on the political world
map in 1918, has been aiming at expelling or physically annihilating
the Armenians of Artsakh. Along the whole history of interrelations,
Azerbaijan under all regimes has posed a real threat to the Nagorno
Karabakh security. That is why ensuring the external security of
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and its people has been an urgent task
up today.
Meanwhile the NKR does not threaten Azerbaijan’s secure existence and
development. To the contrary, after the legal secession from Azerbaijan
and signing the cease-fire agreement, the Azerbaijan showed significant
economic development. And as Azerbaijani President himself indicated
the macro-economic indicators of his country demonstrate growth
with every new year. The de-facto borders established as a result of
1994 cease-fire, which appeared as a result of the ethno-political
territorial delimitation, along with the other factors, are an
important element of keeping stability in the region. The current
conditions, on the hand, allow countries of the region to develop
themselves, and on the other hand, they contribute to ensuring
the rights of the NKR citizens for the physical security and state
independence. It is obvious that NKR is unable to independently develop
and ensure its military, food, energy and ecological security within
the for mer autonomous enclave borders, which were illegitimate from
the beginning.
It is also obvious that the Azerbaijani claims for the Karabakh
territories are the question of political ambitions, and not the
vitally important factor of development of the country.
Ensuring security of the NKR people is the key issue in the settlement
of the conflict with Azerbaijan. Karabakh’s security can be provided
for only by recognition of the independent statehood of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic. The world historical experience shows that the most
powerful and perfect organizations, intended to ensure security in
the whole society, is the state. One of the most important functions
of the state is just defense of interests of its own citizens, social
groups, ensuring their safe and secure existence and activity. The
Karabakh people, having realized its right to self-determination,
created and defended its state in the imposed war. The recognized
status of the independent NKR is not a goal in itself, but the
possibility to ensure security of the people from the existing and
potential future threats by political and diplomatic means. Recognition
of the NKR by the world and regional powers could help Azerbaijan in
overcoming its psychological barriers and starting cooperation with
all South Caucasian countries, just like the West helped Serbia to
start integration with the European Union, "preserving the face" in
the Kosovo issue. Such a deve lopment of the situation will provide
long-term stability to the South Caucasus and ensure the energy
security of Europe.
The tempo of official contacts between Armenia and Turkey has
intensified in the last several months. As part of those discussions
Ankara has also expressed interest in stepping up its role in the
Karabakh peace process.
What role has Turkey played in the Karabakh conflict and could this
role be transformed?
Throughout the conflict between Karabakh and Azerbaijan, Turkey has
always supported Azerbaijan. It was like that in the first stage of the
conflict in 1918-1920, and in the last two decades we have witnessed
the strategic Azerbaijani-Turkish partnership. It would suffice to
point out the military and technological aid of Turkey to Azerbaijan
in the process of the armed aggression of that country against the
NKR people, training of Azerbaijani officers, presence of many Turkish
military advisors in the Azerbaijani army and continuing participation
of Turkey in the land blockade of Armenia and NKR. It is well-know from
the international law that blockade is a form of hostile actions. On
the other hand, since 1992 Turkey has been a member of the OSCE Minsk
Group, which carries out a mediation mission in the Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement. Thus, Turkey in our conflict with Azerbaijan has two
roles. On the one hand, Turkey openly supports Azerbaijan and often
behaves as a party to the conflict, and on the other hand, it is an
international mediator with the other members of the Minsk Group.
According to experts in the regional issues, including representatives
of the Turkish expert community, Ankara’s policy towards Armenia and
NKR has been ineffective, and the new configuration of forces in the
South Caucasus after the "Five-day War" in Georgia stimulated Turkey
to correct its approach. A series of visits by Turkish leaders to
the countries of the region and Moscow, the initiative to create a
"security platform" in the Caucasus quite vividly show Ankara’s
intention to become a serious actor in the Caucasus region.
Will Turkey be able to find its new place in the region and play a
positive role in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict?
We think that it is possible, if the Turkish leadership gave up
supporting one of the parties to the conflict (Azerbaijan), prove its
neutrality, as it is appropriate to the member of the international
mediation mission. In fact, Turkey has a special influence over
Azerbaijan, and in case of a constructive and objective approach the
realization of Ankara’s potential might help in settling the conflict,
and therefore, providing more stability to the region. This objective
can be realized because of some prerequisites. For example, only
Turkey is capable to persuade Azerbaijanis to give up a small part
of the territory (which was under Baku’s subordination only20in the
Soviet times, and has never been a part of independent Azerbaijan) for
the sake of preserving the real sovereignty in their own country. It
is obvious that continuation of the official Baku’s current line of
conduct will make Azerbaijan – a country with a huge energy potential
and possibilities to conduct independent policy, into a dependent
source of raw materials for other states. Remaining the hostage of
ungrounded ambition, will lead Azerbaijan to the loss of its positions
in the region, including the control over the ways of transportation
of its own energy resources.
The history of the Armenian-Turkish relations for the last century
is burdened with tragic pages and negative facts. The Genocide of
Armenians, support to Azerbaijan in its armed aggression against the
Karabakh Armenians, the blockade of Armenia. That is why there is
some mistrust toward the sincerity of Turkish initiatives. For us the
sincerity of Turkish intentions can be proven by Ankara’s following
practical steps: giving up the demands to Armenians to make territorial
concessions to Azerbaijan, establishment of diplomatic relations with
Armenia and opening of the land border. These steps will demonstrate
to us that we are dealing with a modern Turkey seeking to be part
of the European Union and share its system of values rather than one
still following outdated racialist pan-Turkic doctrine.
If we find that Armenia is dealing with a progressive country then
perhaps in the 21st century our generation of Armenians and Turks will
be able to focus their dialogue on subjects that brings us together
around mutual interests rather than serve to push the two neighboring
nations apart.
Such themes as Karabakh and Cyprus problems, Kurdish issues,
Euro-integration, economic and regional security issues, have quite
enough resource for mutually beneficial cooperation. Realization
of the agreed steps and participation in regional projects that can
serve to reconcile two peoples and establish long-term relations of
trust between them.
Honest dialogue, building up mutually beneficial economic and
humanitarian contacts, realization of scientific, educational and
cultural cooperation will contribute to elimination of tension between
our two peoples and will contribute the regional peace and security.
This article was prepared on the basis of the author’s presentation at
the seminar "Armenia-Turkey Dialogue Series" organized by the Caucasus
Institute (Armenia) and TESEV (Turkey) in Yerevan on November 21, 2008.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress