Armenia ready for regional peace, PM Pashinyan tells
Serkan Demirtaş – YEREVAN
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with Hürriyet Daily News Ankara Bureau Chief Serkan Demirtaş.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reiterated his country’s readiness for speedily normalizing ties with Türkiye in the context of regional peace and stability, signaling that the heavy burden of history over the 1915 events that Armenia describes as “genocide” should not hinder the rapprochement between the two nations.
Pashinyan has become the first Armenian premier giving an interview to a group of Turkish journalists in his office in Yerevan, in a move seen as another historic development between the two countries who are in an effort to normalize their ties.
“If we are talking about wishes, I would certainly wish for instating diplomatic ties between Türkiye and Armenia, opening the borders for land and railway transportation and direct business ties,” Pashinyan said on a question about ties and normalization processes.
Recalling that the deal for opening the border crossing for third country nationals has not yet been fulfilled and underlining that Yerevan is waiting for the implementation of it, Pashinyan said he rejects claims that the process between Ankara and Yerevan is not yielding results.
“Because, today, there is a very direct dialogue between our countries and if you compare with the past, this is a very significant change,” he said, underscoring the importance of both sides’ political will to advance it. “I see this political will but what is important is that it should continue to mutually develop.”
History is history, the future is an opportunity
On a question about his recent statements and assessments on history that often creates controversy in his home country and among the Armenian diaspora, Pashinyan said that he wants to convey the message to his people that “they should separate history and today form each other.”
“We cannot perceive history and today in the same way. Because today is today and history is history. There cannot be a boundary between the future and history. Because, according to my understanding, the future should not be a total reflection of history,” he stated, adding the future should be seen as an opportunity to correct some pages from history.
But this discussion should not be limited to Armenians, it should also mature in the region, the Armenian prime minister said. “For what do we want to use history? For the conflict to continue forever or as a message for building a future based on regional stability? I support the latter,” he added.
Recognition of genocide globally not our priority
On a question on how these discussions on history will have an impact on the normalization process especially in the context of genocide accusations against Türkiye by Armenia, Prime Minister Pashinyan said that the recognition of the “Armenian genocide” in the international arena is not among the foreign policy priorities of Armenia.
This stance of his does not mean to reject the 1915 incidents and “Meds Yeghern” as a historical event that cannot be denied or opened to discussion, Pashinyan underlined. “But this is not about that,” he said, repeating a sentence from one of his earlier speeches in which he said: “We are very much aspired when the parliament or a government of a remote country takes a decision to recognize genocide. But when the joy or euphoria stemming from this decision fades away, this question comes to the fore: What does this decision give us in regard to our ties with our immediate surroundings?”
The prime minister underlined the need for Armenia to focus on the interests of the state and should answer the question on how to address these historical facts, saying “Because the period during which this tragedy occurred, the Republic of Armenia was not existing.”
Peace needed with our neighbors
Peace especially in the scope of the region is very much needed, and that is his main message to the people of Armenia, Pashinyan underlined.
“The peace we need is the accessible peace. That is, the peace which is here and happens now. That’s why we should think of primarily regional peace and according to my understanding, this should be the lesson we get from history,” he stated.
The cause-and-effect relationship has already been lost and a lot of difficulties has been experienced because of this, the prime minister underlined, but added “But now we have the opportunity to change this perception and formulation. And this comes from the fact that the messages given from Armenia and Türkiye include their wish to change their perceptions, emphasis and narratives,” Pashinyan said.
Psychological barrier has been removed
“So, what I want to tell is that so many psychological barriers have now been removed. Although, in the practical sense, this does not reflect itself in the statistics like the trade volumes, this is still very significant. And I see this as a success, I should put it openly,” said the premier.
Normalization between Türkiye and Armenia is not a matter of if but when, he underlined, suggesting that the process should advance patiently by the adoption of the principle of not harming the process.
Zangezur Corridor not acceptable for Armenia
On a question about the discussions of creating a transportation line between Azerbaijan and its autonomous Nakhcivan region through Armenia, dubbed the Zangezur Corridor, Prime Minister Pashinyan underlined that this expression is not acceptable for his country as it is perceived as a territorial claim.
Recalling that as a country whose border crossings with two out of its four neighboring countries are closed, Pashinyan said it was his country that seeks such communication and transportation lines in the region that can link all the countries to each other.
A deal signed between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia in 2020 after the second Nagorno Karabakh war does not include opening a corridor in the said region, the prime minister said but informing that his country has suggested Baku to ensure connecting Azerbaijan to its autonomous region through its territories.
Pashinyan has also criticized Azerbaijan for its rhetoric that describes around 60 to 70 percent of Armenian territories as “Western Azerbaijan” and trying to bring Armenia’s sovereignty into question. “We openly tell that there is no such thing as Western Azerbaijan. If we really want to look for Western Azerbaijan, this is Azerbaijan’s provinces of Gazakh, Aghstafa, Getabey, Kelceber, Lachin, Zengilan and Kubatlı,” he told.
We understand special ties between Türkiye and Azerbaijan
On the role of Türkiye in all these regional issues, Pashinyan underlined that they are aware and understand the special nature of ties between Azerbaijan and Türkiye. “This, we cannot deny. But I have already mentioned that there is a process on the relationship between Türkiye and Armenia,” he said, calling on Ankara to decide about the role it wants to play in the region.
“Our perception is that Türkiye, at least in terms of its messages, defends stability in the South Caucasus. We see that both the Turkish President and Foreign Minister support the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And if we rightly receive these messages, this means a balanced approach on Türkiye’s ties with the South Caucasus,” he added.
