Interview with member of Azerbaijani parliament Gudrat Hasanguliyev.
Day.Az: Following signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, the relations between Yerevan and the Armenian diaspora became tense. Do you believe the diaspora will impact Armenia’s position on these protocols?
Gudrat Hasanguliyev: The Armenian Diaspora is a special, maximalist organization which has its own corporate interests. There is a minority in Armenia which understands that future of their country depends on normalization of relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan while the diaspora strongly rejects it. Armenians living abroad do not want to establish any relations with Turkey at all.
It should be noted that Armenia is a dependent state with many of its decisions being made in Moscow. In its turn, Russia is interested in open borders between Turkey and Armenia as it has stated many times. Armenia is not also against opening of borders, but it does not want to give up claims of recognition of an imaginary “genocide”. Thus, Armenia is trying to obtain benefits without sacrificing anything.
May Armenia withdraw from the Turkey-Armenia protocols under the pretext of Turkey’s delaying ratification of these agreements?
On one hand, this move is possible. One example is Armenia’s political line which implies Yerevan’s condemnation of the conditions (Armenia’s return at least seven occupied regions of Azerbaijan) which Ankara has put forward as a precondition for ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols. On the other hand, when we (Azerbaijani MPs) met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan he told us that Moscow asks him to open the border with Yerevan to ease the difficult economic situation prevailing in Armenia. In other words, it is beneficial for Armenia to open borders with Turkey. In this situation, I am more inclined to this view that Armenia will not withdraw from the protocols.
What steps Turkey and Azerbaijan need to take to optimize their cooperation and to strengthen positions on international issues of common interest?
I think Azerbaijan and Turkey have a wide range of issues to discuss. This is particularly security in the region as well as military-technical cooperation. Close cooperation in this area is very appropriate.
In addition, recently Armenia and Turkey have been reported to maintain economic relations. Therefore, the dialogue between Turkey-Azerbaijan should be aimed at preventing emergence of economic relations between Turkey and Armenia via third countries (for example, Georgia). Moreover, the two fraternal states must seek sanctions against the country-occupier from the OIC and the UN Security Council. Turkey should serve as a model for other states in their relations with the aggressor country like Armenia.
Lately the press has increasingly reported that Baku and Yerevan are holding active discussions on return of Armenia-occupied seven regions of Azerbaijan. Do you think Armenia is ready for such a move?
As I mentioned above, Armenia is a dependent state. To ensure progress in resolving the Karabakh conflict, Baku should work more closely with Moscow on the one hand, and actively develop their potential with army on the other. We need a dialogue with Russia to ensure that it has taken a constructive position on the Karabakh conflict. In turn, the military build-up is important for us make it clear for Armenia that the conflict with Azerbaijan will lead them to disaster.
Day.az
