United World International expert Mehmet Perinçek spoke to the Azerbaijani news outlet Vesti.az on the situation in the southern Caucasus and a possible normalization between Turkey and Armenia.
Below we document the interview as published by Vesti.az. The subtitles are set by UWI.
Normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia will not only help Armenia get out of the difficult economic situation, but also push Baku and Yerevan to normalize relations, Turkish political scientist, journalist, historian, professor of Istanbul University Mehmet Perinçek told Vesti.az.
“Meeting between Erdoğan and Pashinyan is possible”
“I think a meeting between Erdogan and Pashinyan is possible. Moreover, I believe that it is necessary in the current conditions. It is to ensure stability and peace in the region that the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara is needed, ”M. Perinçek said.
He recalled that more than 10 years ago there were attempts to normalize relations between Yerevan and Ankara, but at that time these attempts were impossible and illogical.
“Liberation of Karabakh laid the ground for normalization“
“Back then, rapprochement between the two countries was the plan of the United States, but there was no ground for normalizing relations, since Karabakh was still occupied by Armenia. Normalization of relations was impossible without resolving the Karabakh issue. But now, this ground has been established: Azerbaijan liberated its occupied territories, a process that is still ongoing. Therefore, if Yerevan shows its intention to implement the trilateral statement, then Turkey, of course, will be able to sit down at the negotiating table with Armenia”, the Turkish expert emphasized.
M. Perinçek pointed out that the Armenian side, first of all, needs the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara.
“Armenia can overcome social and economic problems with regional integration”
“Armenia and the Armenian people can overcome and solve their social and economic problems only in cooperation and friendship with their neighbors, including Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenia has a great chance – the regional economic integration”, the political scientist noted.
According to him, the joint initiative of the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev, the six-sided regional platform, can help the economic development of the region.
“The West wants to provoke destabilization and further conflict”
“Western countries now want to provoke the destabilization of the region, they want the trilateral agreement to be undermined. If it is not implemented, it means that there will be a new conflict, new chaos or a new war in the region. Only in this way will the West have an instrument for interfering in regional affairs. Therefore, chaos and destabilization in the region is in the interests of the West, and peace, stability, prosperity are, of course, beneficial to all regional countries. Normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia will play an important role for this goal. Such a peace is beneficial to Iran and Russia, because it will prevent the West from interfering in the region”, the Turkish expert said.
He also recalled that Armenia should respect the territorial integrity and borders of Turkey as part of its attempts to normalize relations. “Today there is no distinction between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara means normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku, because Turkey has a common policy with Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue or regional issues in general. Incidentally, Ilham Aliyev himself spoke many times and proposed the signing of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This, of course, will be beneficial from the point of view of peace in the region and the development of economic relations between the countries of the region, ”concluded M. Perinçek.