Armenia-Turkey. Couldn’t be any worse

Photo: Lusi Sargsyan

Alexander Iskandaryan, a political analyst, Director of the Caucasus Institute,

comments on Armenian-Turkish relations

Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations and the state border is closed. It is impossible to make this relationship worse because it could not get any worse.

From a historical perspective, the recognition of the Armenian genocide by various countries, especially its recognition by major countries, will eventually affect Turkey and that is another stone put on the scale of the recognition process.

Turkey has ruined its relations with its neighbors. It has experience big failures on all fronts. It has failed with Israel, Russia and Europe. In some cases the situation is a real catastrophe, for example, in regards to its relations with Syria, where it has been trying to take advantage of the “Arab factor” in order to create a comfortable Middle East for itself.

In addition, nationalist tendencies are growing in Turkey. Internal policy is developing in such a way that it leads to serious domestic problems, for example, to a war with the Kurds.

Moreover, the Constitution is expected to change in Turkey – there will be a transition to a presidential system. Concurrently, Ahmet Davutoğlu, one of the major policy engines, whose mantra is ‘zero problems with neighbors’, has been dismissed from his post as Prime Minister.

What will happen next with regards to Armenian-Turkish relations solely depends on the development of Turkey. However, at this point, I see no prospects for rapprochement between the two countries.

The acknowledgement of the genocide by various countries throughout the world has come in different forms. In some countries it’s the Parliament that has recognized it, and in some countries, the President. Some countries recognized the genocide through the adoption of a relevant law; others, by criminalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide.  Still, in some countries it’s the Regional Parliament or Provincial Government that has acknowledged it. There are also petitions condemning this fact. 

All of the aforesaid has an influence on the publicity of this event and the world’s attitude towards Armenia and Turkey. That’s exactly what Turkey’s nervous response bespeaks of.

Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by various countries puts pressure on Turkey. And with each recognition of the genocide by one more country adds to the feeling of security for Armenians.

The Armenian genocide has been recognized and condemned by the presidents and parliaments of 26 countries worldwide. The Parliament of Uruguay was the first to officially recognize and condemn the Armenian genocide in 1965. On June 2, 2016, German Bundestag MPs approved a resolution, recognizing the mass killing of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as a genocide. The truth about the Armenian genocide was also recognized by influential international organizations: the Council of Europe; the European Parliament; the UN Sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, as well as the World Council of Churches etc.

The opinions expressed in the article convey the author’s terminology and views and do not necessarily reflect the position of the editorial staff.

Published: 06.06.2016