Turkey would not have downed a Russian warplane thus acting against a nuclear power without certain guarantees on the part of NATO member-states, Stepan Danielyan, Chairman of the Cooperation for Democracy NGO, told Tert.am.
Mr Danielyan, Russian-Turkish relations are getting worse. Russia has imposed economic sanctions in response to the downing of its jet by Turkey. What are the reasons for Turkey’s confrontation with Russia?
International press is offering numerous leads. Russian and Turkish interests are in many respects diametrically opposite. And Syria is the present field where their interests have clashed. Russia’s actions in Syria have gone beyond the limits, and Turkey could not put up with it. However, one fact can be of interest. Turkey would not have downed a Russian warplane thus acting against a nuclear power without certain guarantees on the part of NATO member-states. However, Turkey seems to have made a mistake. A NATO official’s statement that the conflict is not between Russia and NATO proved a surprise to Turkey… By coming into conflict with Russia, Turkey will lose part of its sovereignty. The United State’s role in Turkey is actually growing, which may have a number of consequences for Syria and Kurdish autonomies in Iraq, as well as for Turkish Kurdistan. All the developments are immediately involving us.
Do you consider Armenia’s direct or indirect involvement in the processes possible, given the fact that Russian troops are defending the Turkish-Armenian border?
Do you mean the Armenian territory or the Armenian State? Regrettably, as a state, Armenia does not decide anything. But Armenia’s territory is of importance. It is no coincidence that, in the 19t century, Russia was settling Armenians from Persia and western Armenia here – Armenians were to play the role of a Christian buffer between Turkey and Azerbaijan’s Turkic people. And Armenia’s major geopolitical role does not seem to have changed now, and it is no coincidence that everyone has remembered Armenia during the Russian-Turkish escalation. I do not think Armenia will be able to implement an independent policy until a barrier between the country’s authorities and society has been removed.