Caspian Report - Issue 06 - Winter 2014

ROVSHAN IBRAHIMOV
90
THE RAPPROCHEMENT WAS CONSIDERED BY TURKEY
AS A PURELY BILATERAL MATTER. THAT IS THE MAIN FACT
THAT LED TO DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN TURKEY AND
AZERBAIJAN, WHICH WAS UNEASY ABOUT THE PROCESS.
ber 6, 2008 in Yerevan. Abdullah Gul
became the first Turkish president
to visit this country. At this stage, the
parties had not come to any agreement.
The visit was symbolic and was
the first step in the process of forming
a relationship. A year later, on October
14, 2009, Sargsyan arrived in Bursa
to watch the return match. After the
match, the delegations of both sides
were considering the development of
bilateral relations. 12
During the following negotiations,
Turkey saw the opening of its border
with Armenia, without setting any
preconditions, as one of the optimal
tools for rapprochement. Turkey believed
that if the border were opened,
relations would rapidly develop, including
economic ones. Turkey believed
that establishing closer political
and economic relations with Armenia
would make it possible to create an
appropriate environment for discussion
of the “1915 events”, described
by Armenians as an act of genocide. It
was believed that after the opening of
the border, visits to Turkey by Armenians
would increase, along with economic
relations and the influx of Turkish
investment. Turkey believed that
these developments can change the
Armenian position on the recognition
of the genocide. This is also important
because in 2015 – the centenary of the
tragedy - remembrance events will be
held. It is expected that Armenians all
over the world will hold large-scale
events that may damage the Turkey’s
image. In this regard, Turkey intends
to, at least partially, neutralize the effects
of the anticipated large-scale
propaganda related to this date by improving
relations with Armenia. Over
time, close relations with Armenia
may compel Yerevan to reconsider its
attitude towards Turkey. Turkey also
believes that improving bilateral relations
can eventually have a positive
influence on the powerful Armenian
Diaspora.
AZERBAIJAN’S REACTION
TO THE TURKISH-ARMENIAN
RAPPROCHEMENT
The rapprochement was considered
by Turkey as a purely bilateral matter.
That is the main fact that led to
disagreements between Turkey and
Azerbaijan, which was uneasy about
the process. Azerbaijan has closely
followed the development of relations
between the two countries. The harbinger
of disagreement between Turkey
and Azerbaijan was the unofficial
visit by Turkish President Abdullah
Gul to Yerevan. Then this visit transformed
into the negotiation process,
which was expected to lead to the
possible opening of the border. It was
assumed that Turkey would open its
borders with Armenia by April 24, a
day of remembrance for the 1915 victims.
Azerbaijan immediately reacted
negatively. The controversy erupted
during the return match between
12
. Каринэ Симонян, Георг Стамболцян, В Бурсе состоялись армяно-турецкие переговоры,http://www.
armenialiberty.org/content/article/1851953.html