Armenian politicians comment on Turkey’s statements and EP resolution

PanARMENIAN.Net - Cooperation between Turkey and Iran is not surprising. These two countries need each other, secretary of Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group Aram Safaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, when commenting on the nuclear fuel swap deal signed by Turkey and Iran. “This agreement means that Ankara increases influence on Tehran, with the green light given by Turkey’s European partners.” Touching upon Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Baku, Mr. Safaryan said that “Ankara should demonstrate a more balanced policy in the South Caucasus, instead of observing Baku’s interests.” “We should also keep in mind that Russia will never allow Turkey to increase influence in the region to the detriment of its own interests,” he concluded.

Another member of Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group Naira Zohrabyan said that Prosperous Armenia party is against restoration of the PACE subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh, as the Karabakh conflict should be resolved within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. “There is no sense in restoration of the PACE subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh, as the previous committee had not yielded positive results which was admitted also by its late Chairman Lord Russell-Johnston, Zohrabyan said. “Even if Cavusoglu succeeds in “reviving” the subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh, the Armenian delegation to PACE should boycott its activity,” Zohrabyan said.

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Karen Avagyan, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary group, said that Turkey cannot join Karabakh talks within any format. “Armenia has repeatedly given a tough response to Turkey, which wants to get involved in this process at any cost,” Avagyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. Referring to the Turkish-Iranian relations and Ankara’s intention to become a regional power, he said it is impossible, as Turkey has made such an attempt recently, offering the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform. “The Turkish-Armenian dialogue showed that Turkey is a state, incapable to observe such policy,” Avagyan noted.

* Chairman of Heritage party board, RA National Assembly member Armen Martirosyan said that if Turkey manages to become a regional power, it will affect Armenia’s national security. “Despite frantic efforts, Turkey will hardly succeed in achieving its goal, as there are numerous problems inside the country. Besides, in my opinion, superpowers will prevent Ankara from spreading influence over the region,” Martirosyan stressed. Commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Baku and his intention to discuss the Karabakh conflict there, he said: “I am against any territorial concessions, as the liberated territories are fixed in the NKR Constitution and only Karabakh has the right to decide on them. Surrender of even one village will have grave consequences.” Besides, he emphasized the necessity of recognition of the NKR independence by Armenia.

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The nuclear swap deal signed by the Foreign Ministers of Iran, Brazil and Turkey will just alleviate tensions around Iran and its nuclear program for a while, according to Armenian expert Sevak Sarukhanyan. “However, in two or three months Iran can again declare its intention to produce nuclear fuel in its territory,” he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. “Despite being strategic partners, Iran and Turkey pursue their own regional interests, which do not coincide. It specifically refers to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Improving relations with Iran, Turkey just wants to cement positions as one of the leaders of Muslim world,” Sarukhanyan said.

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Member of the Armenian National Congress Alexander Arzumanyan excluded resumption of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh but recollected ‘never say never’ proverb at the same time. “Much depends on the balance of forces in the region. I don’t think the sides are interested to break the balance achieved during the past years,” he said. “Hostilities are possible in case the talks reach a deadlock,” Arzumanyan said, adding that the key to Karabakh conflict resolution is in Russia’s hands. “Today’s the fate of our country is being discussed in Ankara, Moscow and Washington, but not in Yerevan. And the Armenian authorities should take action to improve the situation,” he said. Commenting on the Russian-Turkish relations, Arzumanyan said that Armenia can become a bargaining chip in a strategic partnership talk between these two states. “History showed that when Turkey and Russia took a joint decision, it was to the detriment of Armenia,” he said. He also presumed that Ankara will hardly address the Protocols before the parliamentary elections to be held next year.

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Speaker of the Armenian parliament Hovik Abrahamyan said that the bill on introduction of amendments to the RA Law on Television and Radio does not solve all the problems related to digitalization of television and radio programs. The Speaker believes that the bill does not specify the activity and role of the regulating body during the process of digitalization and after it. “In addition, the bill does not define the role of the National Committee on Radio and Television and the Ministry of Economy, which has submitted it. I suggest that the bill should be adopted in the first reading for subsequent hearings in the relevant committee,” Abrahamyan said.

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On May 20, Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan met with Alexey Chernyshev, the Governor of Orenburg Region, Russia. Abrahamyan expressed hope that the Governor’s visit will serve as an impetus for the development of ties, noting that the Armenian-Russian relations are among priorities of the Armenian foreign policy. For his part, Alexey Chernyshev briefed on economic situation of the region, noting that there are great opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.

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The European Parliament’s resolution goes contrary to the EU principles, Armenia’s Foreign Minister said. “The resolution’ provisions do not coincide either with Madrid Principles or L'Aquila and Moscow declarations,” Edward Nalbandian said during a joint news conference with his Argentine counterpart Jorge Taiana. “The problem is that the author of the document has never been to Karabakh or consulted with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. Some points contradict to the position taken by the EU and fixed in the Athens statement,” the Minister said.

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Member of Heritage party and Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Mrs. Zaruhi Postanjyan has slammed PACE’s refusal to send observers to NKR for monitoring the May 23 parliamentary elections. “The international community fails to demonstrate a fair approach to the Artsakh Republic,” the Armenian MP said. “PACE imitates its mandate instead of promoting human rights in the region. Refusing to send an observation mission and at the same time aspiring to reanimate the subcommittee on Kabarakh, with undemocratic Turkey's representative as the head, is inadmissible,” Mrs. Postanjyan said.

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European Parliament’s resolution on the South Caucasus, containing negative stipulations on the Karabakh conflict, is unacceptable to Heritage party. The resolution is a result of RA parliamentary delegation’s passivity, Heritage secretary Larisa Alaverdyan stated. Mrs. Alaverdyan slammed the EU for viewing the South Caucasus as a merely oil-and-gas corridor.

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Head of Orinats Yerkir parliamentary group Heghine Bisharyan said that there are positive provisions for Armenia in the Resolution on the South Caucasus, which was adopted on May 20 by the European Parliament. “It says that the Karabakh conflict should be solved peacefully, while the Turkish-Armenian process should proceed without preconditions,” Bisharyan said, adding that the resolution contains also an absurd provision, which is based on the report of Bulgarian Socialist MEP Evgeny Kirilov, who presented his biased opinion. “This provision suggests that the Bulgarian MEP is unaware of the Karabakh conflict. And his personal opinion cannot have any consequences for Armenia,” she said.

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Member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group Artsvik Minasyan said that the European Parliament’s Resolution on the South Caucasus is a result of active propaganda of the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem.