2013 marked no progress in Armenia-Turkey relations - expert

In an interview with Tert.am, Ruben Melkonyan, a Turkologist and a deputy dean at the Yerevan State University’s Oriental Studies Department, summed up 2013 in the light of the Armenia-Turkey relations, noting that the reconciliation efforts between the two countries saw neither a progress nor a regress  He also shared his expectations of possible developments in the process.

Mr Melkonyan, do you think 2013 marked a progress in the Armenia-Turkey relations?

As a matter of fact, 2013 cannot be considered a year of either achievements or regress in terms of the Armenia-Turkiey relations. It can be said to be the continuation of the refrozen efforts, as the process launched with Turkey’s non-constructive efforts continued well into 2013. Turkey’s imitation efforts and false statements that the Armenia-Turkey talks on a secret level, continued last year too, but they were less intensive and influential, as many came to realize how baseless they were.

As for the Armenian side, we continued with our objections, dismissing false statements and making resolute decisions. I have to mention with satisfaction that I was especially very pleased – as a citizen and a Turkologist –with our diplomacy’s steps during [Turkish FM Ahmet] Davutoglu’s visit because they testified to a higher degree of maturity and a higher level of experience in the dialogue with Turkey.

So, can we be said to have become more experienced?

The experience of communicating with Turkey, which we had in 2008-2009, is not to be compared with the experience we have today. So if we derive no benefits from the football diplomacy, we can say at least that the Armenian diplomacy gained quite a large experience of communication.

So what were the necessary steps in the bilateral normalization efforts that the Armenian diplomacy failed to make?

As for the foreign policy aspect of the Armenia-Turkey relations, I cannot say what we could have done, as we did not have quite a big arena. So, probably, everything possible was carried out. But as far as the other component, the domestic situation is concerned, I think we could have made certain steps. And it isn’t now too late to take action. That’s first of all the internal responsibility; knowing Turkey, preparing informative, scientific materials about the country and reproducing analytical episodes – these are steps we fail unfortunately to make. It is desirable for politicians and employees of the Foreign Ministry to have a higher level of knowledge about Turkey. To date, we do not even have a university textbook about the history of Turkey; it is due to be published no earlier than at the beginning of next year thanks to the joint efforts of the YSU and the National Academy of Sciences. So the problem is we have a conflict with Turkey, but we do not even have a textbook to make students learn. We could have taken such steps in both 2003 and 2013; but nothing has been done. I think it is necessary to put the emphasis on things like this. We will, sooner or later, have contacts with Turkey in the same legal, customs and administrative system, so it would be better for us to comprehensively study and understand the Turkish state. The situation may change at any moment; the Armenia-Turkey border may open, so we must at least be ready for that.

Is what you say a hint that we must be ready for unexpected steps by Turkey?

I think in a region like ours, we can often expect developments, especially sudden ones. Besides, there are frozen conflicts in the region, which may awaken any time. We already have the precedent – the 2008 Russian-Georgian conflict which thoroughly changed the situation, affecting also the Armenia-Turkey relations. Given the tensions in the Middle East, the signs of changes in the US-Iran relations, as well as Armenia’s accession to the [Eurasian] Customs Union, I think we can expect interesting developments next year, both global and non-global, but interesting and painstaking to a certain degree.

And what about the Genocide centennial?

The Genocide recognition issue continues to remain actual. Activeness by both Turkey and Armenia can be certainly predicted. As 2015, the Genocide centennial, is drawing near, I think our efforts in both science and diplomacy as well as the political system must be more coordinated. The sphere is going to be very active, requiring a higher degree of tension, professionalism and use of comprehensive knowledge on our part.