Turkish journalist blames Azerbaijan for lack of progress in Yerevan-Ankara normalization

A Turkish journalist who took part in the media tour in Armenia has described the trip and the chance to interview Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as an historic event.

T24 journalist Barcin Yinanc spoke about her visit and impressions during an interview aired on T24.

She described Pashinyan’s policy as ‘breaking taboos.’

She said that Azerbaijan’s factor plays a big role in the lack of progress in Armenia-Turkiye normalization.

The journalist noted that the Armenian Prime Minister has been promoting the Real Armenia concept, and sending signals to both the domestic and Turkish societies.

She said that the Pashinyan Administration is constantly making steps for normalization with Turkiye and Azerbaijan. The journalist said she has an impression that there is great disappointment in Armenia over the lack of results in the normalization process.

She criticized Ankara’s approach in normalization with Armenia, labeling as an ‘exaggeration’ the Turkish claims that a country of 3 million people could have territorial claims.

Yinanc said that the opening of the borders would boost trade and tourism in the border areas.

“Azerbaijan demands Turkiye to not make even the slightest step as long as the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan isn’t signed. Thus, Azerbaijan has been acting from positions of power in the relations with Armenia, and constantly making new demands. Armenian officials say that the blocking of Turkiye-Armenia relations because of Azerbaijan actually complicates the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process,” the Turkish journalist said, according to Ermenihaber.

She said that Armenian leaders, including first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, had expected reciprocal steps or gestures in response to their steps. She said that Turkiye’s silence for the messages by Levon Ter-Petrosyan has been wrong. The journalist said the implementation of the 2022 agreement on opening the land border for citizens of third countries could be such a gesture. The journalist described Turkiye’s non-implementation of the agreement as unreasonable.

She further said that in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks Baku has been pursuing maximalist goals. The journalist said she believes that Azerbaijan is demanding Armenia change its constitution as a precondition for signing a peace treaty.

Yinanc said that the peace process is hindered by the fact that Azerbaijan wants to secure an extraterritorial corridor through Armenia towards Nakhchivan, while Armenia refuses the move because it would imply surrendering its sovereignty.

The journalist described PM Pashinyan’s policy in the normalization with Turkiye and the peace talks with Azerbaijan as ‘strategic patience’, noting that the Armenian Prime Minister has been advancing with small steps, not disrupting the process and presenting proposals to every new demand.