Armenian Reporter:

Oskanian says he’s ready to lead a “popular wave”

Published: Saturday September 26, 2009

Vartan Oskanian at a forum organized by the Civilitas Foundation, of which he is the founder, in Yerevan, Sept. 22, 2009. Photolure

Yerevan - Vartan Oskanian, who served as foreign minister of Armenia from 1998 through 2008, and has been a consistent critic of Armenia-Turkey soccer diplomacy, considers it possible to stop the process only if "there is a popular wave of protest, and the authorities feel that they are going against the people's will."

"I am prepared to be on the forefront of the popular wave, so that we can persuade our authorities that what they are doing is against the people's will. If you ask how this is going to be done, I don't have an answer. But I am ready to examine the issue with political forces and participate," he said on September 22 at a forum organized by the Civilitas Foundation, of which he is the founder.

Referring to the protocols on Armenia-Turkey relations unveiled on August 31, he said, "Reading these documents, you reach the unequivocal conclusion that they have been negotiated somewhere, with the participation of the Turks, and have been imposed on the Armenian side. Or else, the Armenian side has actually participated in the negotiations, but it has been deeply inspired and convinced of the view that Armenia's entire future, its future development depends entirely on the opening of the Armenian-Turkish frontier."

Mr. Oskanian said he was reminded of the situation in late 1997, when it was said that Armenia could no longer develop, and unless the Karabakh issue was resolved immediately, Armenia would face an existential threat. He said the same attitude has been revived, and we are told that if the Armenia-Turkey border is not opened, the country will have no future.

"That is not so. Our country has great potential for development. That does not mean we should avoid signing documents with the Turks, or should not have normal relations with them. But all this must be achieved calmly, among equals, without rushing, without outside imposition," he said.

Mr. Oskanian noted that the Turkish blockade of Armenia was intended to starve Armenians into concessions in Karabakh, and that it has failed in this purpose. Now, he continued, "Turkey wants to come out of the corner it has painted itself into. It looks like it has found the way: It is doing so at our expense. It wants to open the border, but it's the Armenian side making the concessions."

"The Turks are being given everything they have wanted for 17 years," Mr. Oskanian said.

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