Temmuz 21st, 2011 
oztarsu 
Turkey needs to talk directly to Armenia to create a common ground and take constructive steps to ensure rapprochement between the sides.
In an article entitled ‘Armenia ready, target 2015′, posted by author Mehmet Fatih Öztarsu particularly addressed Armenia-related issues.
Below are excerpts from the article:
“Armenia dealt with all these [regional] issues from a different angle, but has kept a close eye on Turkey’s foreign policy. Experts in Armenia have warned politicians to make sure they draft policies addressing the most pressing and probable developments; whether Southern Sudan sets a precedent for the Nagorno-Karabakh region, for instance, or whether the Israeli Knesset recognizes the 1915 incident as genocide. Also, and Turkey may not be aware of this, but the Vatican has commenced a study in which it will document and compile the brutality of the deportation by forced marches and the massacres of the Armenians in the early 20th century, a project that should be completed by 2015. This poses serious challenges for Turkey. It was also announced that information gathered during this process will be publicized through exhibitions and media publications.
“Armenian politicians who concretized attempts at rapprochement with the diaspora teamed up with the opposition to create an international commission responsible for the commemoration of the centennial of the Armenian genocide. The activities planned by this commission include political pressure on Turkey to ensure that it clarifies its stance towards the 1915 incidents by 2015. In the initial session of the commission, Giro Manoyan, a member of the Dashnak Party’s political affairs bureau, noted that the matter should be handled from different perspectives and that concrete policies should be drafted to this end. Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan [Sargsyan], on the other hand, noted that as people victimized by genocide, they should not ignore the victimizations and pains of other nations and that Turkey’s policy of denial should be addressed effectively. Sarksyan went on to state that international politics should be cleared of such policies.”
2015: a common ground for joint action
“In addition to the 2015 goals being taken up pretty seriously by the Armenian administration, we also witnessed politicians with a more moderate stance towards Turkey…
“However, the attitudes of nationalist groups that hanged Sèvres maps all around the streets of Yerevan on the 90th anniversary of the Treaty of Sèvres preserve a dual approach. Even Manoyan, with whom I spoke during my visit to his party, now holds moderate views. Noting that relations with Turkey should be improved without preconditions, Manoyan said Armenia has never demanded any Turkish territories so far. He is confident that sincere relations will be established between the two countries… ‘[The recognition of] genocide is not our priority, but an important matter,’ Manoyan concluded.
“In an interview with the speaker of the Republican Party, Eduard Sharmazanov, I was told that, as a party, they pay great attention to relations with Turkey, adding that the genocide issue is not their priority but an important matter. He also added that they are ready to hold negotiations and discussions without any prior conditions. Noting that Turkey would do Armenia a great favor if it stays out of the Karabakh issue, Sharmazanov argues that a link between the Karabakh issue and relations with Turkey is not proper and that Karabakh should be liberated and freed.
“The Armenian administration, which has maintained close ties with the opposition and the diaspora, will secure support from a number of influential actors, including the Vatican and Israel, for its goals to be achieved by 2015. Turkey needs to talk directly to Armenia instead of the diaspora to create a common ground and take constructive steps to ensure rapprochement between the sides. In line with Turkey’s vision for 2023 that will ensure domestic development, relations with the neighboring countries should be improved and problems minimized,” the author concludes.
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