The following statements from Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish Parliament of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), were directed to Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on July 20, 2020 following the Minister’s public condemnation of Armenia in the aftermath of deadly cross-border attacks from Azerbaijan.
Translated by Weekly intern Lillian Avedian
Several soldiers and civilians died as a result of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the past week.
While both sides blamed each other for instigating the conflict, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that “what Armenia did is unacceptable. Azerbaijan is not alone. We as the Republic of Turkey and Turkish people stand with Azerbaijan with all of our capabilities.”
Similar statements were made by AKP party member and President of the Republic Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar.
Turkey, as a member of the OSCE Minsk group created to promote conflict resolution between Azerbaijan and Armenia, should have announced its intention toward resolution, whereas in the midst of these tensions did not remain neutral for other racial purposes and intensified the conflict through aggravating statements.
Therefore:
- Do you demonstrate partiality in the emergent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan for racial purposes?
- Have you not understood that racist foreign policy “pours kerosene on the flame” and only expands the problems?
- The Turkish military industry wants to sell more ammunition to Azerbaijan. Is this the reason you aggravate tensions?
- Have you considered sending soldiers to Azerbaijan?
- If Turkey does not belong to one race, why do you conduct foreign policy with racist considerations?
- Do you sometimes remember that you are a member of the OSCE Minsk group, which was founded with the purpose of diminishing the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan?
- Have you still not understood that the only victor in destabilization in the Caucasus is Russia?
- How do you comment upon the threat posed by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan that it is prepared to strike the nuclear power plant at the Turkey-Armenia border?
Misterious the reason of the Azerbaijan attack.Did they want to see the preparation of their troops? Azerbaijan did never want to leave the question of Nagorno Karabakh.Again,the possibility to lower the crisis is lead to the diplomatic and military activity of the Russian Federation.Instead,they should evaluate a treaty of peace with Armenia,and renounce to their lost territory.Let’s suppose they win.Do they foresee the expulsion toward Armenia of a significant amount of, according to them,their citizens? Or they should prefer to maintain them in a permanent state of occupation? The treaty of peace,the recognition of the changes,is the only issue also for other crisis from the former Soviet Union,Donbass and Transdnerst,but I should add also Ceceny.All questions that is not suggestable to maintain hots for the next hundreds years.