| The co-chairman of the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Committee
(TABDC) Kaan Soyak was recently in Armenia. Taking the advantage the
daily Azg asked him to provide answers to some questions.
Azg: What is the aim of your coming to Armenia?
Kaan Soyak. (KS) I have brought several proposals. The first is the
invitation by the Union of Turkish Businessmen and Industrialist,
extended
to their Armenian counterparts to visit Istanbul on October 23-25.
The second is a proposal by businessmen from Turkish city of Malatia,
who want to visit Armenia to seek ways to export Turkish products,
produced in the town, to Russia across Armenian territory. They also
intend to export their goods to Kazakhstan and even to Iran. In this
regard we view Armenia as a partner country that may organize this.
A similar proposal was made by businessmen from Turkish Elazgum. The
local businessmen are eager to visit Armenia to look for prospects
for starting joint production of furniture. In the coming week we are
bringing to Yerevan the string quartet of the presidential symphonic
orchestra. They will give a concert on October 15 and we hope that
Armenian president Robert Kocharian will attend it.
Azg: Recently the second meeting of the Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation
Commission (TARC) took place in Istanbul. The Turkish press provided
little information about it. As far as I know you support the TARC
work. Can you provide some information regarding the meeting?
K.S: That was a closed meeting. I too have little information
about it. At the end of the meeting the TARC gave a dinner and
journalists
were invited too.
Azg: It was originally arranged that the Commission members would meet
next in Yerevan, but it was announced that the meeting would be moved
to New York. Can you tell us why the venue has been changed?
K.S: I do not have exact information about it. However, what is important is
that
the meetings will continue. I should say that the TARC meetings are not the
only
contacts between Armenia and Turkey. I think such meetings should be
encouraged and supported.
Azg: The daily Azg received the Commission’s statement made after
concluding
the Istanbul meeting, which says that the Commission members have agreed
on further strategy. Is this a signal that the Commission is going
to put aside the issue of the Armenian genocide and focus on promoting
economic contacts between the two countries? As you may know Russian
president Vladimir Putin signed recently in Yerevan a 10-year long
program for economic cooperation with Armenia. This means that besides
being a strategic and military ally of Russia, Armenia will be stepping
up its economic cooperation with that country. Can this factor become
an incentive for the Commission to shift its priorities towards economic
cooperation and review its future strategy?
K.S. I do not think so. I believe that the Commission’s activity is
clearly outlined in the preliminary program, whereby the Commission
expresses readiness to eliminate all the obstacles in the way of
rapprochement
between Turkey and Armenia. At present contacts between the two
countries
are held between reporters, universities and musicians, in short,
contacts
are in the area of culture. With respect to cooperation huge work is
being done by Istanbul-based Armenian-language Zhamanak, Marmara and
Agos, as well as by the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Committee
(TABDC). I think that the Commission intends to focus on quite different
issues. I cannot say right now what kind of issues it is going to
discuss,
but I would like to say once again that contacts between Turkey and
Armenia have been developing in the recent five years and reciprocal
visits are being organized. In the light of all this the Commission
seemed to undertake a different mission. Perhaps, it should refer to
the questions, which have not yet become a topic of discussions. In
all cases, I think the Commission should be encouraged and supported.
At the same time its composition should be expanded. For example,
members
of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), could
be added to it, similar representatives from Turkey could also be added.
Azg: The Commission is a public organization, at least, it is being
presented as such, but one of its members, former foreign minister
Alexander Arzoumanian is the chief of the Pan-Armenian National Movement
(HHSh), the former ruling party in Armenia. You have mentioned about
involving ARF members in the Commission. ARF is a political party.
Does not this run counter to the principle of a public organization?
K.S. I have difficulty in answering this question. I would like to
only mention that we were not informed about who the Commission is
going to be composed of. I do not think that I am in a position to
comment on the Commission’s make up.As I know, each of them is a
well-known personality in their respected areas and also have experience
of embarking on a dialogue.
Azg: The creation of the Commission was sharply criticized both in
Armenia and Diaspora.
K.S.: I can understand it. To the best of my knowledge, the word
“reconciliation”
causes counteraction. I think that counteraction should be examined,
the criticism as well. If a mistake was made it should be corrected.
I would also like to mention that if the point is reconciliation, the
entire process should not be contingent on the Commission. That would
be another mistake. Its success is desirable, but its failure would
not mean the end of the world.
Azg: I have recently read in the Agos that the Michigan University
initiated an Armenian-Turkish dialogue, led by Taner Akcam. Actually
a new group is being formed. Perhaps, it would be more expedient for
the second group to deal with genocide issue and the first one to focus
on the development of Turkish-Armenian relations?
K.S.: I do not think that the group you have mentioned is launching
replacement work.
No matter that it is called a dialogue, to our understanding a dialogue must
first start by
the people of Armenia and Turkey, in the atmosphere of comprehension
between regionally credible
organizations. We do not need indirect contacts, we need direct ones.
Azg: The TABDC has been operating for five years. Has it made any
significant
progress?
K.S. Yes, it has. First of all it has shaped an appropriate public
opinion. All initiatives are based on the activity of the TABDC. We
have been developing a good example of public diplomacy. TABDC has softened
many
hard issues between the two countries.
Azg: So, what you are saying is that the TABDC has been successfully
operating in the last five years, but the governments of Turkey and
Armenia have failed to make any progress in that time. I would say
that the hostile Turkish policy towards Armenia is continuing. Turkey
continues its treats to Armenia. For example, Kamer Genc, a parliament
member from the Virtue Path says that he could not take revenge on
Armenians who are worth 2 kurus (Turkish coin). Another example. The
chairman of foreign relations committee of Turkish parliament Kyamran
Iman says: “Armenians will regret.” Though these kinds of threats are
not treated seriously in Armenia, but they raise the concerns of those
who advocate for improvement of Turkish-Armenian relations.
K.S. Unfortunately, what was said by the politicians are correct. If Turkey
had its embassy
here in Yerevan, many questions would find their solutions and such
unfortunate statements between the countries would have been avoided.
Unfortunately, when we are starting to get
closer to one another, something happens which spoils what has been
done.
Azg: I do not think that we are getting closer, because shortly after
Armenia regained its independence, in 1992 Turkey closed its borders
for it. In 1993 a blockade was imposed on Armenia and Turkey put forward
preconditions for establishing diplomatic relations. Do not you think
that it is a waste of time for Armenia to try to start a dialogue with
Turkey?
K.S: No, it is not a waste of time. We can exchange reciprocal
accusations,
but we are neighbors and we have to continue living side by side.
Azg: In one word, what is the goal of TABDC?
K.S: Economic rapprochement between Armenians and Turks.
By Hakob Chakrian |
Akgün Medya