Armenian breakthrough will help Turkey’s EU bid, Bağış says

On the plane en route to Austria on Tuesday, Bağış told Today's Zaman that he expects the opening with Armenia to be reflected in the upcoming progress report by the European Union. “The zero-problem policy with our neighbors has resulted in this new opening, and it reflects Turkey's commitment to compromise, which is very much at the core of the EU,” he said.

He cautioned, however, that Turkey will maintain a balanced approach concerning the Caucasus and pay heed to the concerns of Azerbaijan. “We want a total and comprehensive approach in the region, and the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh needs to be resolved as well,” he underlined. As for the Armenian diaspora, which was predominantly against rapprochement, Bağış said, “We are actually helping Armenian expatriates reduce the burden of supporting the Armenian national economy.” He lamented, however, the diaspora's unwillingness to acknowledge this positive development but instead respond to issues emotionally and dwelling in the past.

He reiterated that the party Turkey addresses is not the diaspora but the current Armenian government. He called upon the diaspora to stop exploiting the nationalistic feelings of Armenians.

Bağış noted that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government was the first one to allow Armenian airlines to fly to and from Turkey in 2002. “We also allow a large number of illegal Armenian workers to work and send remittances to their families,” he said. It is estimated that around 50,000 to 70,000 Armenians work in Turkey illegally.

Chief negotiator Bağış also drew attention to the fact that the Armenian economy is struggling and unemployment is soaring. “Good relations with Turkey will help the Armenian economy,” he said.

Bağış also noted that the conditions in the region have changed dramatically. Armenia is surrounded by energy-rich Azerbaijan and Georgia, with strong links to the US and the EU. “Turkey has also recuperated from the worsening relations with the US during the Bush presidency and established very close ties with the current US administration,” he stated. “Against this backdrop, it is in the interest of Armenia to get close to Turkey,” he added.

Touching on the government democratization process, Bağış said Turkey is trying to resolve its outstanding issues on its own and dismissed the accusation that the process as well as the opening with Armenia is imposed by the EU or the US.

“What we are trying to do is to place the citizen, not the state, at the center of the government,” he stressed, lamenting the fact that Turkey, for a long time, revered the state rather than not its citizens. “EU culture is actually similar to our own culture, which we have had for thousands of years,” he said. “With the membership process, we are in fact returning to our roots, which are a culture of compromise stripped of extremism on either side of the spectrum.”

The chief EU negotiator pointed out that public support for the democratization process is substantial and citizens rally behind the government. He emphasized that Kurds have not only suffered from rigid state regimes but other groups, including minorities, have also paid prices. “Everybody ought to accept everybody as they are,” he stated, stressing that “total democratization is a solution to Turkey's problems.”

Bağış pointed to Parliament as the entity to solve the problems and noted that the government alone cannot deliver on its promises. “The opposition should be involved, and a solution should be sought with broader public support and commitment,” he underlined.

He further noted that Turkey should focus on real problems such as the economy and unemployment and stop dwelling on symbolic discussions devoid of any concrete substance. “We would like to deliver a bright and promising future to our younger generations,” he remarked.  As for EU reforms, the chief negotiator deflected criticism that the government is not doing enough. “We have declared May 1 an official holiday, established a commission for gender equality, launched a major reform in the justice system, allocated billions of dollars for investment in the impoverished southeastern regions, submitted a draft law regulating the EU secretary-general in Turkey and devised a major communications strategy to boost public support for the EU membership process.” Bağış also disclosed for the first time that the government will soon be launching a strategy to fight corruption.