EJEVITS SAYS WHAT PEOPLE WANTS TO HEAR

Political elite of Turkey admits that the Turkish society demands opening of border with Armenia.

Recently the Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ejevit came out with a sensational statement. The head of the government, at the same time the leader of the left Democratic Party in the governing coalition said that if his party succeeded in the upcoming parliamentary elections, the economic contacts with Yerevan might be resumed. The “Anadolu” agency informs that Ejevit has said his party will do its best to reopen the border with Armenia. It’s interesting that he repeated this words several times during his pre-electoral meetings with the electors of the province bordering with Armenia.

October 18, 2002

PanARMENIAN.Net - Commenting this statement, the “525th newspaper” being issued in Baku supposes that “with such an extraordinary manner the Prime Minister hopes to win the votes of the population of Kars, which is starving for opening the border with Armenia”. We could understand this, but two months ago, approved by Ejevit, mass repressions started against the Turkish businessmen and public figures speaking for opening the borders with Armenia. The dismissal of Taer Orali, Chairman of the Trade-Industrial Chamber of the town of Igdir, caused a tide of discontent in Europe. Besides, it is difficult to understand the recent statement of the State Minister Reshad Dogru saying that “no international organization, including those in Europe, can force Turkey to open the border with Armenia” in the context of the frankness of the Prime Minister.

However, it is evident that in Baku the sensational statement of the Turkish politician was comprehend with misgiving. President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev tried to calm down its compatriots. He said that during the recent visit to Ankara he had discussed Ejevit’s statement with Turkish President Ahmed Sezar and the latter had assured him that the country was not planning to open its borders with Armenia.

In any case, it’s very interesting that some Turkish politicians starving to get the votes of the electors promise to reestablish the economic relations with Armenia. Not long ago the member of the Turkish National Security Council Hasan Koni said that if during the elections planned in November the “New Turkey” party headed by the ex-foreign minister Ismail Cem, came to force, the issue of restoration of the railway communication at the Kars-Gyumri sector would be solved in a year. According to Koni, Cem intends to continue the negotiations with Armenia, which, according to him, will allow to settle all the problems in the region within some 10 years.

No need to believe in the promises made during the pre-electoral campaign. The experience shows that they rarely are true. And all the same, it is important to note that the promises of the Turkish politicians are meant not for the West or for the Armenians but for their compatriots. It means that the political elite of Turkey has started to recognize that it is first of all the Turkish society that demands opening of the border with Armenia.