Day.Az interview with member of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (Parliament) Aydin Mirzazade.
In his interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that ostensibly Armenian side does not fear resumption of war with Azerbaijan. In your opinion, why did the Armenian President raise this question again?
The Armenian officials have often touched upon the issue of renewed hostilities lately. They call Azerbaijan not to build up its military power, give advice on use of the military budget or say that not quantitative but qualitative indicator of the combat capability of the Armenian army is important.
All this shows that increase in Azerbaijan’s military capabilities is indeed a matter of serious concern for Armenia. It is concerned with Azerbaijan’s determination to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by any means, including military. It is also concerned with the combat readiness of the Azerbaijani army. Sargsyan’s statements testify to this.
Sargsyan’s statement indicates that the Armenian side has nothing to lose. In extreme case, it will lose the Azerbaijani territory it has seized. The fact that lately the Armenian authorities have often touched upon this issue shows they realize that it is time to return occupied lands. But nanationalist sentiments and claims to neighboring states prevent them to do this.
In his interview Sargsyan reiterated that Armenia may withdraw its signature from the Ankara-Yerevan accords. May Armenia really take such a step? Can we say that the process of Armenia-Turkey normalization has reached a complete impasse?
Possible, Sargsyan thinks that such statements will scare Turkey and the world. Who will lose in case these protocols will no longer exist and the issue of opening the borders will be closed for a long time?
Today, Turkey does not need to open borders with unpromising and poor country like Armenia. Armenia does need opening of the borders. It needs to use Turkey’s economic opportunities. It needs Turkish investment, communication and involvement of the Turkish capital. But Turkey is not in a hurry to do that (open borders) until Armenia withdraws from the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
I think the point is that the Armenian leadership does not really care about opening of the borders. Only simple population of Armenia, who is unable to find work and a piece of bread at leaving the country in search of income, suffers from this. But former field commanders in Karabakh dressed in ties and epaulettes are political figures today.
Recently, the Committee on Foreign Relations of the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the resolution on “Armenian Genocide”. This week the Swedish Parliament also approved a similar bill. In your opinion, what is the reason for increased efforts to recognize the “Armenian genocide” in the world?
During both votes, the bills were approved by majority of only one vote. I think that both decisions were politically motivated. Unfortunately, there are people both in the U.S. Congress and in the Swedish Parliament who do not respect interests of their state. They have become captives of the Armenian diaspora and Armenian organizations. There is only one goal – to put pressure on Turkey to deprive it of freedom of action to impose an option unacceptable for the country. But, as it is evident from Turkey’s reaction, these people will unlikely will be able to achieve their goal. Turkey will continue to pursue its independent policy and defend its national interests.
Forces who started by this dirty game will be losers in this game. The Armenian diaspora in this matter has nothing to lose, but Sweden, as a nation, will lose much in the political, economic, military and cultural cooperation with Turkey after this ecision.
today.az
