BAKU (Combined Sources)–Azerbaijan signaled on Thursday that a further alignment of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process with the current Armenia-Turkey negotiations was taking place in revealing comments that follow the release of protocols by Armenia and Turkey aimed at establishing relations by year’s end.
“This issue was discussed last week during a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijan has once again stated its position,” Novruz Mammedov, a senior aide to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, said on Thursday commenting on the announcement of the Armenia-Turkey protocols.
Armenia and Turkey said Monday they will sign accords on diplomatic ties after six weeks of domestic consultations and submit them to their respective parliaments for ratification, after which the border is expected to be opened within two months of ratification, possibly by New Year.
Azerbaijan, a supplier of oil and gas to the West, opposes the opening of borders between Armenia and Turkey without Yerevan quitting its support for the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, over which Baku seeks to regain control.
Mammedov told Azeri ANS television in comments posted on its website on Thursday that the Turkish- Armenian rapprochement was contrary to Azeri national interests. But he added: “I believe that before the border is opened, there could be movement in resolving the conflict, and certain agreement.”
Mediators from the United States, France and Russia have for months said they were close to clinching an agreement on the basic principles of a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Karabakh. The OSCE Minsk Group has been pushing for a speedy resolution of the conflict before October to secure similar gains in the Armenia-Turkey track.
But analysts have been skeptical of a breakthrough, citing a flawed mediation approach that ignores the conflicts core issues–namely that of the Nagorno-Karabakh peoples’ right to self determination,and Azerbaijan’s culpability in launching and losing a war of aggression. That the two conflicts are being packaged together into what is increasingly looking like one all-encompassing deal is also cause for skepticism that mediators will reach a sustainable solution to either issue.
Mammedov said that for Azerbaijan, “the main thing is that the opening of the [Turkish-Armenian] border should not contradict” its interests and “that certain movement should be achieved in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
A resolution to the Karabakh conflict, he reiterated, “depends on the [Armenia-Turkey] negotiation and on conditions made in the negotiations.”
“It is necessary for the Turkish side to keep its promises,” he added.
The two twits shown above have plenty to smile about these days. They look like two ignoramus fools caught in the middle of a perverse act. Dumb and dumber would be a fitting caption here but their accomplice, Sarkisian is missing, who would inevitably be dumbest.
Realist, couldn’t agree with you more. It is so sad that we never learn from our past mistakes. After all those treaties where Turks came out victorious while Armenians empty handed, we are witnessing the same thing. But the question is where is our elite, where are the right forces to STOP this MADNESS!!!! This is pure MADNESS! ARF, ANCA wake up! They are selling out Armenia. This is the worst SELL Off. I have personally lost my sleep, my ease, after this agreement came on surface on August 31. Armenia is like a sick patience who is not cooperating and not welling to see a doctor and is on it way to self destruction
worst is yet to come if this government of armenia remined in it’s place
If people do not like what is being done then they should do something about it. I would like to see the Armenian government’s reaction of 100,000 plus people gathered at Republic Square in Yerevan and demanded an end to negotiations with turkey.
I hope our politions are reeding the small print.
I couldn’t agree more with all of you ! Everything that the Armenian goverment is doing is wrong. As if they are slowly slowly preparing us for the greatest shock news in our lives. They agreed to resume in talks with turkey without preconditions, (i.e. no talking about the genocide). They (Armenian government) are basically saying to turkey and the whole world that , “ok, we have started to forget about the genocide”. Genocide acceptance needs to be NUMBER 1 condition of the opening of the borders. Unfortunately “Tavajanountioun” has been always in our blood for centuries, thats why we haven’t reached somewhere.
SEE PATRIOT’S FRUSTRATION FOR OUR DESTRUCTIVE CULTURE—–With regret, Ishkhan
————————————————————————————————————————————-
On Thu, 9/3/09, Harut Sassounian wrote:
From: Harut Sassounian
Subject: Re:
To: “Dr. Ishkhan Babajanian”
Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 9:10 PM
Dear Dr. Babajanian,
Armenians know everything! No Armenian wants to listen to or learn from any other Armenian.
Since Armenian officials know everything, they don’t need to ask for anyone else’s advice!
Best regards,
Harut Sassounian
————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Diaspora consultation is necessary
Submitted by Ishkhan Babajanian MD on Thu, 2009-09-03 02:19.
Dear Mr. Sassounian:
We are confused and wonder how come Jewish skillful politicians in Tel-Aviv with all their great expertise in politics can humbly consult with their Diasporan Jewish compatriots, but our present Armenian politicians cannot?
Hye, as we here in the US elected to office (twice) the Bush/Cheney addle-pated (oil oriented) administration, so too, in Armenia the choices for leadership were not the greatest for an emerging democracy in the Caucasus… choices were Sarkisyan/Der Bedrossian… evidently neither of them caliber of our patriots, our leaders of the Republic of Armenia 1918-1920. Even now. your words ring true, Khrimian Hairig.
Manooshag
When have the Turks or any so-called ‘allies’ ever kept any agreement that was beneficial towards Armenia and it’s peoples’. NEVER! It should be noted that Sarkisian is a phony president anyway as his “election” was won through gross fraud. His actions lost Armenia and it people tens of millions of dollars through the Millenium Package. He now wants to giveaway more that absolutely do not belong to him namely the memory and justice of the 1.5 million parents and grandparent that were murdered.. He needs to understand that the diaspora won many victories against an 800 pound gorilla through effort and finance and all this effort will stop if once again an Armenian betrays the whole for purely self interest! It reminds one of the Armenian moron that gave the 250 names of the intellectuals and community leaders to Talaat who eventually were all murdered, who then himself was executed by the Turks. Apparently Sarkisian hasn’t learned the lesson. Is this idiot really the best Armenians can do? All unite and call the Armenian Consulate to express our grave concerns!
I believe that Armenia and Turkey need to come to a certain form of agreement and have a diplomatic relation which is the normal path of two neighbouring countries.
But, if the price to pay is the give up Artsakh, to give up claims related the the Armenian Genocide, and if the price to pay is to wait again and again to be smushed by the same Turk(s) (including Azeris), we do not need such a falsified agreement.
Where is your pride dear Mr. Sarkissian, president of Armenia !
All armenians form all affiliations, UNITE!
I absolutely agree with President Sarkissian’s steps. This is definitely a new page in Armenia’s history and I only see the bright side of this page.
This of course puts an end to ARF-ANCA naive tactics such as every year waiting if the US President will say Genocide or not. SO WHAT??Even if he says it. This tactic of “once the whole world recognizes it Turkey will recognize it too” is stale , is expired and has nothing to do with how one conducts politics.
That said I see a bright future for Armenia which is not isolated anymore and most importantly an Armenia which has the luxury TO CHOOSE. And this was one of the few intellegent moves Armenia/ Armenians have made in the 20th or 21st century. And at the right time.
All the above who comment sitting in their comfy chairs:
Have you ever lived in an economic blockade?
Are you ready to send your children to war against Turkey to liberate Ani and Ararat?
Be honest. Not rhetorical.
Genocide Rcognition by Turkey will come sooner than we think. And that Armenians will live around Mount Ararat , in Ani and Kars again will come sooner than we think. BUT not in the expired ways that ARF has been advocating. These have nothing to do with diplomacy nor politics. ARF has ONLY rhetoric.
In politics there is compromise I’m glad Sarkissian has combined compromise with dignity. I dream of a prosperous Armenia. The rest is just noise. The rest is stagnation.
I nominate Serge Sarkissian to the Nobel Peace Prize 2010. And he will win . Mark my words. The first Armenian to do so.
PS. If you read Armenian I ask you to read this interview. The views expressed here are exactly mine. He couldn’t have said it better.
http://azgdaily.com/AR/2009090407