Turkey-Armenia detente good for U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey and Armenia announced their intention to establish diplomatic relations, open the closed border between the two countries and launch a series of talks and confidence-building measures aimed at resolving long-standing disputes and fostering closer cooperation, GlobalPost writes.



"To be sure, these protocols will need to be ratified in Ankara and Yerevan, and some important political hurdles remain. But these new accords, reached with the help of Swiss mediation, could transform regional stability in the Black Sea region. They are also very good news for American and European interests.



First, an open border will contribute to the economic development of Armenia and rebalance the country's position between East and West. Second, improved relations between Armenia and Turkey can have an important demonstration effect. Multiple flashpoints and "frozen conflicts" around the Black Sea underscore the dangers of resurgent nationalism against a backdrop of economic strain. Third, for Turkey, a genuine opening to Armenia will reinforce the country's new approach to foreign policy. In recent years, Turkish leaders have pursued a "zero problems" approach to relations in the Balkans, the Aegean, the Black Sea and the Middle East. By and large, Ankara has succeeded in transforming its often troubled relations with neighbors as diverse as Greece, Bulgaria and Syria.



Finally, the roadmap set out by the parties envisions the establishment of an international commission to review the contentious history of 1915 and its aftermath that has bedeviled Armenian-Turkish relations for nearly 100 years. It would be surprising if this group manages to reconcile strongly held and competing historical narratives. It would be even more surprising if detente between Ankara and Yerevan ends the perennial debate in the U.S. Congress on an Armenian genocide resolution - feelings run too high on this matter, especially among the Armenian diaspora.



Yet a formal dialogue about the tragic events of 1915 will extend the trend of recent years, in which both societies have become more comfortable with frank discussion about Armenian-Turkish relations, past and present. From the perspective of American regional interests, there is much to be gained from a climate in which pressing bilateral issues, including Iran, Russia and energy security, can take center stage in relations with Ankara - and Yerevan.



The prospect of genuine Armenian-Turkish detente can help make this a reality. The process deserves continued and unreserved support from Washington," the article says.