Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

TURKISH FM: 1915 ARMENIAN DEPORTATION INHUMANE

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 13 2013

Cansu CamlýbelYEREVAN – Hurriyet

Staging a landmark visit to Yerevan, FM Davutoðlu declares the Ottoman
deportation of Armenians in 1915 to have been ‘wrong’ and ‘inhumane’

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu shakes hands with his Armenian
opposite number, Edward Nalbandian, after the latter arrived in
Yerevan for regional talks following years of icy relations. AFP photo

The “deportation” of Armenians in 1915 was inhumane, and Turkey has
never supported the move, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu said
yesterday as he made a landmark visit to the country’s long-time
foe, Armenia.

Accompanied by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioðlu,
Davutoðlu visited Yerevan for the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
group meeting. The top diplomat met with his Armenian counterpart,
Edward Nalbandian, on the sidelines of the summit.

“We are very pleased with the meeting with Nalbandian; it was candid.

The primary aim is to build an environment of dialogue on a strong
basis,” Davutoðlu said after the meeting, while dismissing claims
that he suggested to Armenia that it withdraw from two regions in
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Davutoðlu expressed his hope that a collective consciousness between
the two countries could be created with a “just memory.”

“We say ‘just memory.’ What I mean with that is we should know the
facts. Then we see that Turkish-Armenian relations do not date back
like German-Jewish ties. In every street, there is a common sign.

After you discover this, then you see the deportation, which I see
as a totally wrong practice done by [the Ottoman-era rulers under
the Committee of Union and Progress]. It was inhumane,” Davutoðlu
told a group of reporters en route to Yerevan.

Yerevan wants Ankara to recognize the mass killings of Armenians
during the forced deportation in World War I as genocide, but Turkey
has steadfastly refused to do so.

“But when you write a history taking the deportation into account,
then a collective conscious was created from this side [Turkey]
that Armenians betrayed their nation and deserved the deportation.

We should destroy these two collective consciousnesses. We abolished
this wrong consciousness in 2005, but Armenians still have it,”
he told reporters.

Primary aim not to open border

“Our primary aim is not open only the Turkish-Armenian border but to
form a foundation that will pave the way for a comprehensive peace,”
Davutoðlu said. “It has three pillars. The first one is relations
between Turkey and Armenia. The second one is Azerbaijani-Armenian
relations. This also includes Georgian-Abkhaz ties. The third one is
relations between Turks and Armenians,” he said.

Turkey and Armenia signed protocols in 2009 to establish diplomatic
relations and open their sealed borders, but neither succeeded in
completing the process for different reasons.

“If one of the pillars is crippled, it will create distress. Let’s
say we opened the Armenian border gate. If a war breaks out between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, then we would be forced to close it again. The
hardest thing is to defrost the iceberg of the status quo. You could
start a war when you trying to defrost it,” he said.

The foreign minister said they were holding talks with the Armenian
diaspora but were not publicizing the matter. “In the past, talking
with the diaspora has been perceived as a threat or aimed for
intelligence issues. Diplomats thought, ‘What would I do?’ if it were
recorded. But now it has become a duty. Since that time, whenever I go
abroad I meet with the Armenian community if there is one. We don’t
publicly announce the people we meet due to the fact that extremist
Armenians would cause problems,” he said. “What we realize is that
if you cannot provide a basis in ties with the diaspora, that puts
pressure on ties with Armenia and it becomes deadlocked.”

December/13/2013

From: Baghdasarian

ARA GULER’S ANATOLIA IN US GALLERY

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 13 2013

ISTANBUL

The pieces on display are part of a set of 53 photographs of
architectural monuments, taken by Ara Guler.

Throughout his career, acclaimed and prolific photojournalist Ara
Guler, Turkey’s internationally acclaimed photographer, has taken more
than 800,000 photographs documenting Turkish culture and important
historical sites. Opening Dec. 14 at the Smithsonian’s Arthur M.

Sackler Gallery, “In Focus: Ara Guler’s Anatolia” reveals a selection
of his never-before-shown works of Anatolian monuments, taking the
viewer on a historical journey through the lens of one of the world’s
most legendary photojournalists.

Running through May 4, 2014, 21 the work on display also challenge
Guler’s definition of himself as a photojournalist, not an artist,
and engage visitors in a critical debate about whether photography
is a form of art or a means of documentation.

The exhibition was curated by students from the Johns Hopkins
University’s Program in Museums and Society, under the supervision of
Nancy Micklewright, the Head of Scholarly Programs and Publications at
the Freer and Sackler Galleries. During the 2013 spring semester, the
students worked with the archival collection to develop an exhibition
proposal, along with labels, programming ideas and Web content.

Bearing witness to the now lost Turkey of the 1950s and 1960s,
Guler assembled a rich and diverse body of work. Extracted from
his extensive portfolio, “In Focus: Ara Guler’s Anatolia” features
photographs of Seljuk, Armenian and Ottoman monuments across Anatolia,
the Asian mainland of Turkey.

A form of magic

Using a variety of vantage points, dramatic lighting and strong
contrasts, Guler expressed a unique and instantly recognizable
photographic point of view. He was quoted as saying, “I believe
that photography is a form of magic, by means of which a moment of
experience is seized for transmission to future generations” (Ara
Guler: A Photographical Sketch of Lost Istanbul, Dunya Yayınları,
1994).

Guler’s ability to capture fleeting moments and his fascination with
storytelling are evident in several of the pieces on display, such as
“Gök Medrese” (school), which captures a child running past a ruined
facade, an open doorway allowing a glimpse of a larger world beyond.

Since 1965, when these images were made, some of the historic buildings
Guler depicts have been extensively renovated to become tourist
sites and some have deteriorated even further–in both cases, Guler’s
photographs provide a poignant and valuable record of a moment in time.

The exhibition will also feature a short video, “Ara Guler: A Lifetime
Achievement” by FotoTV (2010), which will allow visitors to hear
Guler’s own thoughts on photojournalism, art and his career.

A set of 53 photographs

Guler (b. 1928) took his first photojournalism jobs at local newspapers
while studying economics at Istanbul University in 1950. In 1955, he
became head of the Photography Department at Hayat (Life) magazine,
and soon after began working for international media. He photographed
for Turkish publications such as Yeni Istanbul (New Istanbul) and
Hayat magazine, and major international publications, including Time
Life, Paris Match, and Smithsonian magazine. In the 1960s, he worked
alongside acclaimed photojournalist Henri Cartier-Bresson at Magnum
Photos. Now 85, Guler continues to live and work in Istanbul.

The pieces on display are part of a set of 53 photographs of
architectural monuments donated to the Freer and Sackler Archives
in 1989 by Raymond Hare, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey (1961-1965). The
collection of photographs was selected to reflect Hare’s lifelong
interest in the architecture of the region and was presented to him
by his colleagues upon his departure from Turkey.

The exhibition has been made possible through a grant from The Andrew
W. Mellon Foundation to the Johns Hopkins University in support of its
Program in Museums and Society. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the
adjacent Freer Gallery of Art are in the National Mall in Washington,
D.C. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day (closed Dec. 25),
and admission is free.

For more information visit

From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY SENTENCES ARMENIAN BLOGGER TO JAIL

NaharNet, Lebanon
Dec 13 2013

A prominent Turkish-Armenian blogger accused a Turkish court on Friday
of issuing a “politically-motivated” verdict after being sentenced
to jail on charges of illegal construction.

An appeals court in the western coastal city of Izmir sentenced
Sevan Nisanyan to two years in prison on charges of building without
a permit.

An Istanbul court in May had also sentenced Nisanyan, a self-confessed
atheist, to one year in jail for blasphemy over a blog post supporting
the controversial anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” but he has
appealed the verdict.

Nisanyan, who also faces up to 16 years in prison on other charges
related to construction work on his hotels in the village of Sirince
near Izmir, said he would be sent to jail next week.

But in a country littered with illegal constructions, he said the
court ruling on Thursday was punishment for his outspoken views about
restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey.

“It is politically motivated because in this community, those who
try to be an individual and stand firm on their ideas have always
been punished,” he told AFP.

Nisanyan, 56, turned Sirince into a booming holiday spot after he
bought several ruined Greek houses and turned them into hotels.

Thousands of people from around the world flocked to Sirince in
December 2012, believing the village — where many Christians say
the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven — would be spared from the Mayan
doomsday.

Nisanyan was convicted of blasphemy over his September 2012 blog
defending the anti-Islam film that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammed
and sparked angry protests across the world.

“Mocking an Arab leader who centuries ago claimed to have contacted
God and made political, financial and sexual benefits out of this is
not a crime of hatred,” he wrote.

His words touched a nerve in the staunchly secular but majority
Muslim nation and he received hundreds of death threats after the
court decision.

Turkey has long been criticized for a lack of press freedom and
dozens of journalists are in detention, accused of plotting against
the Islamist-rooted government or having links with outlawed movements
such as the Kurdish rebels.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN AND IRAN: WRESTLING OVER POLO-LIKE GAME

EurasiaNet.org
Dec 13 2013

December 13, 2013 – 1:25pm, by Shahin Abbasov

Azerbaijan and Iran have tussled over weighty issues relating to
religion and energy development in the Caspian Sea in recent years.

And now they’re haggling over ponies.

The neighboring states can’t see eye to eye when it comes to the
origins of chovgan – the Eastern, polo-style game that UNESCO recently
deemed an “intangible world heritage” closely connected to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s first lady, Mehriban Aliyeva, a UNESCO Goodwill
ambassador, reportedly worked hard behind the scenes to promote
chovgan’s cause among UNESCO officials.

At first glance, chovgan doesn’t seem much of a cause for an
international spat. It is not a professional sport, and it has no
cache among the jet-set. Horse-riding instructors make up most of
Baku’s two teams; farmers often fill the ranks of regional teams.

Overall, about 20 teams in Azerbaijan compete in the sport, with
matches often drawing only sparse crowds. With 12 players to a side,
it has only a few differences from polo – its ball is larger and the
150-to-200-meter-long playing field is sandy rather than grass.

Players wear traditional clothes rather than white breeches; and
chovgan matches last just 30 minutes, with one 10-minute break.

It is chovgan’s similarity to polo, and that sport’s affiliation with
the rich and powerful around the world, that is apparently a factor
in the Iranian-Azerbiajani dispute.

Movers and shakers in Baku seem to believe that UNESCO recognition
can provide Azerbaijan with entree into the world of polo. Chovgan
players will make up Azerbaijan’s new national polo team – the
country joined the International Federation of Polo on December 7 –
local coaches say. The team played a friendly match with Argentina’s
polo team in October.

“Polo is a modernized and, I would say, more civilized form of
chovgan,” said 48-year-old Shukur Valiyev, coach of Baku’s Serhedchi
(Border Guard) team, and a prominent chovgan player from the Soviet
era.

That Azerbaijanis are now trying to cast their country as the
cradle of polo, and that is raising hackles in Iran. Many Iranians
believe the game’s origins are found in Persian, rather than Azeri
lands. In October, the Islamic Republic announced a campaign against
including chovgan on the UNESCO list as an “Azerbaijani game.” Lately,
Tajikistan, a Central Asian country with Persian cultural influences,
has entered objections as well.

Baku, having become accustomed to criticism from its southern,
fellow Shi’a neighbor, are adopting a somewhat conciliatory course,
acknowledging that the sport is not Azerbaijan’s alone. “Chovgan is
popular in all countries of the East,” said Azerbaijani Culture and
Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev said at a December 3 news conference.

Iran’s zeal for chovgan must be aimed at “the development of the
game,” Garayev reasoned, generously. “I do not think that small
misunderstandings could harm the friendly relations between Azerbaijan
and Iran.”

Chovgan isn’t the only cultural area that has spurred bilateral
sparring. Currently, the countries are disputing the origins of the
legendary 12th-13th-century poet Nizami Ganjevi, who lived in the
central Azerbaijani city of Ganja.

Chovgan’s Turkic origins – the game mostly has been played in Turkic
countries — are plain to Fizuli Bayat, a scholar at Azerbaijan’s
National Academy of Sciences’ Folklore Institute. Fragments from
ancient Azerbaijani miniatures and one 11th century vessel portray the
game, which is also mentioned in the Turkic epic Kitabi Dede Korkut.

Historical manuscripts describe its rules.

“It was also played in Iran and India, but by the Turkic population
in these lands,” Bayat said. Similar games with different names
are played in Afghanistan and the Balkans, he added. Azerbaijan’s
northern neighbor Georgia itself has a chovgan-like game called isindi,
Valiyev noted.

Azerbaijan evidently feels that UNESCO recognition can also help
promote its political agenda. As advertisements broadcast on CNN and
Euronews indicate, chovgan may serve as a PR tool in the country’s
efforts to focus international attention on the long-stalemated
Nagorno-Karabkah conflict.

A distinctive feature of the sport, according to Azerbaijan’s UNESCO
application, is its reliance on a short-legged breed known as the
“Karabakh horse.”

“Due to the Karabakh conflict, this sport is endangered,” declared
Culture and Tourism Minister Garayev. “The population of Karabakh
horses is not growing.”

Work on preserving the mild-mannered Karabakh horse is centered in the
northern town of Sheki, which hosts two annual chovgan tournaments,
including a December 16 “presidential cup” competition involving
16 teams.

Aside from Sheki, a nine-time national chovgan champion, a team
from the Azerbaijani-controlled section of the occupied Agdam
region, neighboring Karabakh, is another top-ranked contender. The
northwestern town of Agstafa, not far from the Armenian border,
ranks as the current champion.

The State Border Guard Service sponsors Baku’s Serhedchi (Border
Guard) chovgan team, while the Service’s head, Elchin Guliyev,
runs the Azerbaijan Federation of Equestrian Sports. The Federation
cares for all chovgan horses, supplies players’ equipment, maintains
playing fields and provides transportation to tournaments, according
to Valiyev, the Serhedchi coach.

While Baku and Tehran may be arguing over chovgan, they are planning
to join forces to have another sport – zorkhana, a type of wrestling –
recognized as an Olympic sport.

In October, Iranian Ambassador Mohsen Pakayin met with local zorkhana
participants to discuss recognition efforts, Trend news agency
reported. “Zorkhana is the shared cultural heritage of Azerbaijan
and Iran,” Ambassador Pakayin said. “This sport contributes to the
rapprochement not only of the two countries, but also of the two
nations.”

No joint application has been filed yet to have the sport considered
by the International Olympic Committee, according to one informed
source. The sport, though, is expected to feature in the 2017 Islamic
Solidarity Games, to be held in Baku.

Editor’s note: Shahin Abbasov is a freelance correspondent based
in Baku.

From: Baghdasarian

GEORGIA, ARMENIA DISCUSS REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 13 2013

13 December 2013 – 1:54pm

Yerevan has hosted the 29th session of foreign ministers of BSEC
members. The Georgian delegation was headed by David Jalagania,
Deputy Foreign Minister, and included Tengiz Sharmanashvili, Georgian
Ambassador to Armenia, Georgy Meskheli, Head of the section for
multilateral and regional economic cooperation of the department for
international economic relations of the Foreign Ministry, and Akakiy
Lomidze, an advisor of the section, Trend reports.

Foreign ministers discussed regional economic cooperation and plans
for further collaboration. The meeting concluded Armenian chairmanship
in the BSEC.

Jalagania met the Armenian foreign minister and discussed bilateral
relations, noting the importance of organizing high-ranking visits
in the near future. Armenia expressed hope that Georgian Foreign
Minister Maya Panjikidze will visit Yerevan in early 2014.

Yerevan has hosted the 29th session of foreign ministers of BSEC
members. The Georgian delegation was headed by David Jalagania,
Deputy Foreign Minister, and included Tengiz Sharmanashvili, Georgian
Ambassador to Armenia, Georgy Meskheli, Head of the section for
multilateral and regional economic cooperation of the department for
international economic relations of the Foreign Ministry, and Akakiy
Lomidze, an advisor of the section, Trend reports.

Foreign ministers discussed regional economic cooperation and plans
for further collaboration. The meeting concluded Armenian chairmanship
in the BSEC.

Jalagania met the Armenian foreign minister and discussed bilateral
relations, noting the importance of organizing high-ranking visits
in the near future. Armenia expressed hope that Georgian Foreign
Minister Maya Panjikidze will visit Yerevan in early 2014.

From: Baghdasarian

Davutoglu receives `The Armenian Genocide: Eye-Witness Testimonies of
Survivors’ book in Yerevan 18:20, 13 December, 2013

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13,

ARMENPRESS. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu
received a unique gift in Yerevan. The Turkish version of `The
Armenian Genocide: Eye-Witness Testimonies of Survivors’ book was
handed to him. `Armenpress’ reports that the author of the book, Lead
Researcher at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography at the
Academy of Sciences in Armenia, Verjine Svazlian handed it to the
Turkish Minister through one of the members of the Turkish
delegation. The suggestion was heard by broadcaster Nver Mnatsakanyan
at the course of `Interview’ TV program on Public TV Company of
Armenia when the author of the book Verjine Svazlian was in the
reception-room of the program. She accepted the suggestion and asked
to hand the book to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Ahmet
Davutoglu. Voluminous `The Armenian Genocide: Eye-Witness Testimonies
of Survivors’ has been introduced to the international community in
the Turkish language. The book, which was published in the Armenian
and English languages yet in 2011, encloses 700 eye-witness
testimonies of the Armenian Genocide survivors. Prominent Turkish
human rights advocate Ragip Zarakolu has also published the book in
Turkey and attended the presentation of the book held on December 10
in Yerevan’s National Library. Verjine Svazlian, Lead Researcher at
the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography at the Academy of Sciences
in Armenia, presented her research on the oral tradition of Armenian
Genocide survivors, through their eye-witness testimonies and songs
revealing their experience. Svazlian’s presentation was based on the
many oral histories of Armenian Genocide survivors, which she
personally collected beginning in 1955 from 100 localities in Western
Armenia. She undertook these efforts often at great personal risk
from authorities in the former Soviet Union and Turkey. Svazlian began
collecting Genocide testimonies as a student at the Yerevan Khachatour
Abovian Pedagogical University, walking door-to-door and
village-to-village, searching for Armenian Genocide survivors who had
been rescued. Her work is particularly valuable not only because of
its volume, but because of the short amount of time that had passed
since the Genocide. Through her interviews, which Svazlian conducted
in written, audio taped, and videotaped form and in different dialects
and languages, she also captured testimonies about the self-defense
actions that took place in several Armenian towns attacked by the
Turkish military (as in

From: Baghdasarian

RELATIONS WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS: NALBANDIAN-DAVUTOGLU MEETING IN YEREVAN

22:47 12.12.2013

On December 12 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had meetings
with the heads of delegation participating in the 29th sitting of
the Council of Foreign Ministers of BSEC member states.

During the meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
Edward Nalbandian reiterated the principled position of Armenia on
the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations without preconditions.

The Ministers referred to the activity and future programs of the
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

Minister Nalbandian had meetings with BSEC Secretary General Victor
Tsvirkun, Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin, Russian Deuty
Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzia, State Secretary at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Romania George Ciamba, Serbian Deputy Foreign
Minister Roksanda Nincic, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David
Jalaghania, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Kirakos Gerontopoulos,
Albania’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alki Pool and Moldova’s Deputy
Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration Valeriu Chiver.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH FM PROTESTED IN VISIT TO ARMENIAN CAPITAL

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 12 2013

12 December 2013 /TODAYSZAMAN.COM, Ä°STANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who went to the Armenian
capital city of Yerevan to attend an Organization of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) conference, was protested by several
groups upon his arrival on Thursday morning.

Protesters gathered in front of the building where Davutoglu was set
to attend the BSEC’s 29th meeting of foreign ministers. Protesters
held placards in English and Armenian, in which they condemned Turkey
for its stance against the 1915 incidents. Speaking to the Cihan
news agency, a protester who identified himself as Gerafin Vartanyan
stated that Turkey should accept the so-called Armenian genocide,
reopen the borders and stop supporting Azerbaijan.

Two Turkish journalists of Armenian origin, columnist Markar Esayan
and Rober KoptaÅ~_, the editor-in-chief of the Armenian weekly Agos,
accompanied Davutoglu during his trip to the capital city.

Davutoglu first announced his visit to Armenia in a press conference
on Dec. 5 after his visit to Kiev, where he met with his Azeri
counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov to discuss the thorny Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which is key
for the resumption of Turkish relations with Armenia.

“Turkey is one of the founding members of the organization. Its
headquarters is located in Ä°stanbul and Armenia, which is a member
of the organization, also has a representative. I received the
invitation and decided to accept it, after consulting the president,”
Davutoglu said.

On the eve of Foreign Minister Davutoglu’s visit to Yerevan, Armenian
Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said that Davutoglu
should visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, adding,
“Turkey could also open its closed border with Armenia if it wants
to improve relations between the two countries.”

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS BACK ON THE AGENDA AS DAVUTOGLU HEADS TO YEREVAN

Blouin News
Dec 12 2013

December 11, 2013 by Lora Moftah

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is on his way to Yerevan
on Thursday, in a visit that could offer the beginning of a possible
restart to long-stalled Turkish-Armenian normalization efforts. Though
Davutoglu is officially traveling to attend the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation forum, his attendance at the Armenian-hosted conference
has sparked speculation of possible bilateral talks between the two
states, which have not maintained diplomatic relations since the
failure of the 2009 Zurich Protocols.

There are already reports afloat that the minister will propose
re-opening a border gate between the two countries. However, the
attached condition that Armenia withdraw from two occupied areas
of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region will no doubt make this
proposal a non-starter for the Armenians, who have long been opposed
to linking their territorial conflict with Turkish ally Azerbaijan
to Armenian-Turkish bilateral relations. Armenian officials have
already begun preemptively pushing back against Davutoglu ahead of his
arrival, with Deputy Foreign Minister Savarsh Kocharyan challenging
the Turkish F.M. to visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial – not much
of an invitation to move beyond the current state of antagonism,
at least from Ankara’s standpoint.

The sense that possible talks are doomed to failure before they even
begin isn’t so much a statement on the intractability of the issues
between the two governments (though that is certainly part of the
problem) as it is a window into the AKP’s foreign policy strategy
in light of some glaring failures in recent months. Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s missteps and fumbles with Turkey’s Arab
relations have added up in a big way for his government and pretty
much torpedoed the success of Davutoglu’s “Neo-Ottomanism” strategy,
one of the AKP’s crowning political achievements.

A legislative motion filed this week to censure Davutoglu over the
failure of the government’s foreign policy may have eventually failed
in the AKP-dominated parliament but should still offer a reminder that
the issue has become a big target for the Islamist party’s opponents.

With Arab ties in tatters and Kurdish peace on the rocks, it might
make sense that Ankara is pivoting towards seemingly lower-stakes
foreign issues such as these conflicts with their European neighbors
(Davutoglu is also scheduled to visit Athens on December 13).

The AKP may be hoping that making overtures in this direction could
at least give the impression that Turkish foreign policy is not in
shambles but it’s important to remember that Turkey’s conflicts with
Armenia and Greece are no less politically loaded. As the controversy
over the Hagia Sophia’s conversion shows, there are still major
points of sensitivity here. If Turkey’s record in the past months is
at all predictive, look for these efforts (the good faith of which
is questionable) to do little to up the AKP’s foreign-policy cred
and even less to reduce cross-border tensions.

From: Baghdasarian

AHEAD OF DAVUTOGLU’S VISIT TO ARMENIA: REGIONAL DIMENSIONS – OPED

Eurasia Review
Dec 12 2013

Eurasia Review
December 12, 2013
By Vahan Dilanyan

The visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmed Davutoglu, to Yerevan
has a few goals; however none of them are related to the normalization
of Turkish-Armenian relations.

First, it is a visit before the Armenian Genocide’s centennial
commemoration, through which Turkey will attempt to mislead the
international community that the Armenian-Turkish normalization
process allegedly continues, and that other factors would damage the
normal course of the process. One such factor is the recognition and
condemnation of the Genocide by more states.

Second, it is an unsuccessful attempt aimed at disguising the
failures of Turkish foreign policy, particularly the “zero problems
with neighbors” policy which can more aptly be called “zero results
recorded” policy.

Third, through this visit Ankara is trying to gain political dividends
from Baku by making the same tiresome statements that link any
future Armenian-Turkish normalization to the Azerbaijani-Artsakh
(Karabakh) conflict. Furthermore, if Turkey sets Nagorno Karabakh
conflict resolution as precondition for opening the borders with
Armenia closed by Turkey, itself, then Armenia requests progress in
Cyprus talks as a precondition.

In conclusion, Davutoglu’s visit to Armenia does not have any intention
on moving the Armenian-Turkish normalization process forward; quite
the opposite. Rather, in this case, Davutoglu is like a pseudo-
doctor who goes to people’s homes with expired medicine and asks,
“do you have a patient I may cure”, but he is just not welcomed in.

Vahan Dilanyan Chairman of Political Developments Research Center
PhD in Political Science

Political Developments Research Center (PDRC) is a non-profit
organization based in Armenia. The Center owes no allegiance to
any government, or to any political organization, and is strictly
independent. PDRC was founded in July, 2006 in Armenia by a number
of individuals interested in how to manage on objective and useful
researches in the politically dynamic 21st Century.

From: Baghdasarian