Ismail Safi: In order to evaluate the potential of their economic and commercial cooperation, Turkey and Armenia should solve their diplomatic and political problems

Interview with Ismail Safi, Turkish parliamentarian from the ruling Justice and Development Party, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish Parliament

• by Ashot Safaryan

• Tuesday, February 12, 14:40

The Zurich protocols on establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have actually remained ink on paper, and the mutual non-confidence between the parties has become even deeper. What ways of rehabilitation do you see for the process launched 4 years ago?

Turkey has to enhance its relations with all its neighbors on the basis of mutual respect and good neighborhood relations. The Zurich Protocols are the first step of the normalization of the relations with Armenia which we interpret is a long process and the Protocols were signed with the reflection of this understanding and vision. We, as Turkey, are continuing to act within the framework of the Zurich Protocols. The Protocols continue to be on the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. What we desire is to ensure a full and comprehensive normalization within the region. In case the normalization does not happen, efforts with good intention towards a single track normalization will also not be permanent and sustainable. We are determined to continue the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia. Besides, the continuation of this process, no doubt, depends on Armenia’s will to solve its problems with all its neighbours, exhibit constructive behavior on this issue and compatibility of the politics Armenia followed with the good neighborhood relations.

Murders of the citizens of Armenian ethnicity have recently grown in number in Istanbul. Can one consider these cases to be the evidence of growing xenophobia and religious animosity in the Turkish society? Are these incidents accidental or are certain forces behind them?

In November, December and January four incidents happened to our citizens in Samatya Region of İstanbul. The houses of four old women who lived alone in the district were entered for the stealing purposes. Three of these women are Turkish citizens with Armenian ethnicity. The events happened for stealing purposes and jewelry like earrings, necklace, bracelet are stolen from our citizens’ homes .In one of these stealing actions, an 84 year old Armenian woman was killed. We feel regret for these events and the purpose of these events are not ethnical, political or religious but are completely stealing.

Armenia and Turkey are BSEC member states. How much does this platform contribute to development of trade and economic relations between the two countries and what new practices can be expected within this structure?

Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) has an important mission in the region especially in economic and commercial fields. The PABSEC membership of Turkey and Armenia is very important with regards to create an economic and commercial cooperation circumstance. However I want to remind that, in order to evaluate the potential of regional economic and commercial activities and to carry them a step further, consistent, comprehensive and sustainable peace, stability and welfare circumstance should be established, diplomatic and political problems should be solved.

The conflict in Syria is escalating with every passing day, and official Ankara is seriously concerned with these developments, which is proved by deployment of Patriot missile systems on the border with Syria. What threats does Turkey see in the further escalation of the crisis, and what role does the Kurdish factor play here?

Turkey’s deployment of Patriot missile defense system on the border with Syria is a resolution taken by NATO because of threats and risks constituted to Turkey’s national security by the increasingly violence events in Syria. Because of this, there wasn’t any ethnical group effect in Syria while giving this resolution.

Turkey does not conceal its attempts to speed up its role in the Karabakh peace process. What new approaches can Ankara offer given its repeated statements in favor of Azerbaijan?

Turkey stays in the negotiation process regarding Karabakh problem because of being a neighbor country to the region and a member of OSCE Minsk Group. Turkey, continues its intensive contacts in this field and makes an effort to find a peaceful solution in the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Our President, met with President of Azerbaijan Mr. Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Mr. Nazarbayev and Prime Minister of Russian Federation (at that time) Mr. Putin during “Conference of Cooperation and Security Building Measures in Asia (CICA)” Summit in İstanbul between June 7-8, 2010. He shared “Caucasia Development Fund ”with them and they welcomed the offer. In this respect, to ensure a full normalization in South Caucasia and to reach a solution in the Armenia-Azarbaijan-Nagorno conflict “Regional Integrated Transportation Corridors Project” was developed as a “peace project”. Our new projects and proposals regarding establishment of regional cooperation understanding and solving the Karabakh problem will also continue next term.

Many analysts, including Turkish ones, agree that before the 2014 presidential election in Turkey Prime Minister Erdoğan is going to amend the Turkish Constitution and considerably enlarge the presidential powers, and afterwards – to win the presidential election. How probable is this scenario and what geopolitical vector of development President Erdoğan’s Turkey will choose?

Especially in the last 6 years, Turkey has performed new important openings in its foreign policy. Turkey moved from focusing existing problems in its foreign policy understanding to progressive, active, going beyond the ordinary, overcoming the problems in its foreign policy understanding. Turkey has become a country that does not always think there are enemies around but creates friends; it has become a country which is looking for solutions to the problems that cannot be solved for years. We will continue to cooperate with our neighbors and contribute to peace in all aspects along with the same foreign policy principles after our Prime Minister’s election as President.

How successful do you think Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s formula “zero problems with neighbors” is? Has this formula passed its examination amid aggravation of the situation in the Middle East over the past two years?

Turkey has experienced a big transformation especially in the last decade. In this period especially in foreign policy we did our best to implement our minister Davutoğlu’s “zero problem with neighbors” principle. This policy will be continued. For instance; by the beginning of Arab Spring we approached Syria diplomatically for nine months. There is a community demanding democratic change in Syria. Today approximately 60.000 people died because of the bloody events happened in Syria. Our “zero problem” principle still continues in our relations with Syria, but we stand near our Syrian brothers who fought there for their rights, dismissed from their country and come to our country as refugees.