TURKISH FOREIGN MINSTRY RESPONDS TO ACNIS DIRECTOR RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN
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13:36:37 – 18/08/2009
In a statement released on August 14, the Turkish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs responded to ACNIS Director Richard Giragosian’s
recent comments to journalists in Yerevan regarding the state
of Turkish-Armenian diplomatic engagement. Citing Giragosian by
name, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a clarification on recent
Armenian media reports that quoted the ACNIS Director’s comments on
Turkish-Russian relations.
According to an official statement posted on the website of the Turkish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 14, Giragosian was quoted
by the Armenian media as saying that a "secret agreement" between
Turkey and Russia was signed granting Russia access through Turkish
airspace to resupply the Russian base in the northern Armenian city of
Gyumri. The report was also widely disseminated, as the Azerbaijani
"Trend" news agency printed a statement on August 15 released by
the Turkish Embassy in Baku that refuted the "information about
arms shipments to the Russian military base in Armenia via Turkish
airspace." The Turkish Embassy in Baku released an official statement
to the Azerbaijani media claiming that "such information is a step
towards breaking friendship and fraternity of Turkey and Azerbaijan."
Although the Armenian media report was partially inaccurate, ACNIS
Director Giragosian did reveal that "Turkish and Russian officials
are currently negotiating a bilateral accord that would provide the
Russian military access to the Gyumri base through Turkish airspace
and territory in the event of an agreement to open the closed
Turkish-Armenian border."
Most interestingly, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin
criticized Giragosian’s comments in an interview with the Turkish
"Hurriyet" daily newspaper, stating that "it’s an obvious provocation
aimed at breaking friendly relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan."
As the official Turkish spokesman did not deny the essence of
Giragosian’s comments, his comments sparked heated calls by leading
Turkish opposition newspapers demanding that Turkey should immediately
break off negotiations with Russia. The "Milliyet" daily newspaper,
for example, argued that "Russian arms supplied to Armenia will
be used against Azerbaijan," adding that "assisting (the) Russian
military base is out of the question."
In subsequent comments on this issue, ACNIS Director Richard Giragosian
noted that "the fact that the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs felt
compelled to officially respond to my comments reported in the Armenian
media only reveals the lack of trust inherent in Turkish-Russian
relations and further demonstrates the weakness of Turkish foreign
policy regarding its engagement of Armenia." He also said that the
incident "questions the sincerity of Turkey’s earlier promises to
forge new relations with Armenia, including a commitment to end
its blockade of Armenia and to address the legacy of the Armenian
genocide." Giragosian explained that "the burden is now on Turkey,
as the international community is now becoming increasingly impatient
with what appears to be Turkey’s indecisiveness and lack of good will
toward Armenia."
Giragosian also stressed that "even if Turkey decides to reopen the
border with Armenia and to extend diplomatic relations with Armenia,
such moves should not be misinterpreted as any kind of gift or
reward to Armenia, as such minimal steps merely represent the basic
requirements for civilized countries." He concluded by reiterating the
fact that "although there is still at least some degree of optimism,
it is Turkey that is in danger of missing a strategic opportunity to
move forward with Armenia."