Turkey unconcerned over its international image

March 11, 2010 - 16:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey still identifies itself with Ottoman Empire, continuing with threats and speaking from the position of force. Recalling Turkish Ambassador to US following US House Foreign Affairs Committee’s passage of Genocide resolution is an obvious example of it, according to RA NAS Institute director Ashot Melkonyan.

Commenting on the possibility of dramatic decrease of Turkey’s international rating in case of failure to ratify Protocols, Melkonyan stated that Turkey does not care about its international image where its national image is concerned.

At the same time, the expert noted that Turkey is facing a number of internal issues, including that of Kurdish factor.

According to Melkonyan, Turkey has two options: integration with Europe or taking the path of fundamental Islam. “Still, in either case Kurdish issue remains a complicated one,” the historian stated at news conference in Yerevan.

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “it contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols.” ”The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same allegiance from the Armenian government,” the Ministry said.

Cyprus

The Turkish invasion of Cyprus launched on 20 July 1974. The Turkish invasion took place in two stages and ended in August 1974, when Turkish troops occupied 37% of the island's territory, which was followed by the establishment of the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus that only Turkey recognizes.
UK's Sovereign Base Areas make up about 3 percent of the island. They were retained by the UK as sovereign territory when the Republic of Cyprus was established in 1960. On November 11, 2009, an offer was made to the United Nations to make available just under 50% of the territory of the UK's Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) to a unified Cyprus in the event of a solution of the issue.