[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”9px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-52px||||false|false” custom_padding=”32px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Photo: Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs<\/em><\/p>\n With this year\u2019s Antalya Diplomacy Forum held under the theme of \u201cAdvancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil,\u201d it was perhaps only natural that a panel on the opening day of the event held 1-3 March in T\u00fcrkiye focused on the South Caucasus. This focus comes amidst a lack of further progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan and Armenia-T\u00fcrkiye normalization processes. Of course, this was not the first time the Antalya event attempted such a seemingly monumental task.<\/p>\n For example, at the first Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in 2021, former Ter-Petrosyan adviser Gerard Libaridian shared the stage with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, and at the second in 2022, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held his first ever informal meeting with then Turkish counterpart Mevl\u00fct \u00c7avu\u015fo\u011flu. Also present at that meeting were Ruben Rubinyan and Serdar K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7, two diplomats responsible for negotiating Armenia-T\u00fcrkiye normalization.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n This year, both Rubinyan and K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 had the opportunity to discuss such matters in the public eye. Alongside them were Azerbaijani Presidential Advisor Hikmet Hajiyev, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia, and EU Special Representative for the region, Toivo Klaar, to discuss the general region at large. But falling on the day after the resumption of talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Berlin, it was no surprise where the main focus would be.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet, amidst the potential for progress, stark realities loom large. Entrenched disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan over key issues continue to cast a shadow over the prospect of lasting peace between the sides. Despite efforts to find common ground, divergent viewpoints prevail between Baku and Yerevan, and also Ankara, something that T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 acknowledged on the panel.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAfter listening to Ruben [Rubinyan] and Hikmet [Hajiyev], the audience has a clear-cut idea of how sensitive the situation is and how difficult the ongoing negotiations between the parties [are],\u201d he said. Indeed, even TRT World presenter Alican Ayanlar sounded despondent and downbeat after the exchange.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n While Yerevan blames Baku for attempting to force concessions from Armenia, Azerbaijan remains concerned about external interference in the peace process. \u201cThe peace treaty should not be just for the sake of a peace treaty. There should be real ownership and a real and genuine intention for peace,\u201d said Hajiyev. \u201cPeace lies between Baku and Yerevan. Peace is not in Paris or Brussels.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Hajiyev also raised the issue of territorial claims made against Azerbaijan and T\u00fcrkiye contained within the Armenian Constitution. Though Georgia\u2019s Darsalia was largely silent throughout, he did at least voice Tbilisi\u2019s support for the normalization processes between its neighbours. The EU\u2019s Klaar also emphasized the same, particularly the need to unblock regional transportation, including from Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan through Armenia. Ankara\u2019s support here was vital.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cT\u00fcrkiye is the immediate neighbour of Georgia and Armenia and has a special relationship with Azerbaijan,\u201d he said. \u201cFor this reason, T\u00fcrkiye has a unique opportunity to help forge a durable and prosperous peace [and] cement its role as the region\u2019s leading power.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Nonetheless, Armenia continues to charge that T\u00fcrkiye is dragging its feet on opening the border between the two countries, which has been closed since 1993, save for a rare exception last year when Yerevan sent humanitarian assistance to T\u00fcrkiye following a devastating earthquake. It also still believes that Ankara has failed to meet its July 2022 obligation to open the border for third-country nationals and diplomats by the summer of 2023.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7, in turn, reminded Rubinyan of the reason why the border was closed in the first place\u2014the occupation by Armenian forces of the Kelbajar region of Azerbaijan\u2014and also why the agreement to reopen it remains unfulfilled. \u201cCertain developments took place in Armenia,\u201d he said, possibly referring to the unveiling by now Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan of the Nemesis monument. The process, however, is not dead.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI told Ruben several times that I am ready to come to Yerevan to conduct further negotiations, and I have invited him to Ankara,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if he puts the opening of borders for third country nationals and holders of diplomatic passports as a precondition for our meeting in Ankara or Yerevan then we have a problem.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI would like to propose to Ruben that we meet in Yerevan next week,\u201d K\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 ended. \u201cWe\u2019ll discuss it, dear Serdar,\u201d Rubinyan responded. However, although media reports suggest that such a meeting is expected in the future, an announcement of where and when the two diplomats will resume their official talks has yet to surface.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][dsm_text_divider header=”CONFLICT VOICES e-BOOKS” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][\/dsm_text_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|0px||0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/onnik-krikorian.com\/new_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/book-1-2.jpg” title_text=”Click to download” url=”https:\/\/onnik-krikorian.com\/new_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/conflict_voices_december_2010-1.pdf” url_new_window=”on” align=”center” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” ul_font=”||on|on|||||” ul_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”|||50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Conflict Voices \u2013 December 2010<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” custom_margin=”|||50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”]<\/p>\n \n Short essays on the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict \n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/onnik-krikorian.com\/new_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/book-new-1.jpg” title_text=”Click to download” url=”https:\/\/onnik-krikorian.com\/new_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Conflict20Voices20May202011.pdf” url_new_window=”on” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” ul_font=”||on|on|||||” ul_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”|||50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”] <\/p>\n Conflict Voices \u2013 May 2011<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” custom_margin=”|||50px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”et_body_layout”]<\/p>\n \n Short essays on the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict \n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On 1-3 March, Antalya held its annual Diplomacy Forum, with significant focus placed on peace in the South Caucasus and the normalization of Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan and T\u00fcrkiye.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","twitterCardType":"","cardImageID":0,"cardImage":"","cardTitle":"","cardDesc":"","cardImageAlt":"","cardPlayer":"","cardPlayerWidth":0,"cardPlayerHeight":0,"cardPlayerStream":"","cardPlayerCodec":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,46,10,54,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-armenia","category-armenia-turkey","category-azerbaijan","category-caspian-post","category-turkey"],"yoast_head":"\n
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