1/9 Armenian diaspora and government lack strategic vision of Levon Ter-Petrosyan in order to understand the potential of Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azerbaijani cooperation. To develop this argument let’s look at the history of ups and downs in the Arm-Tr relations. A thread: https://twitter.com/cryptonaya/status/1323185161979179009

2/9 Turkey was among the first countries to recognize Armenia’a independence in 1991. In 1992 President of Turkey Turgut Özal invited Armenia to join BSEC. The same year Turkey also opened its airspace for the international humanitarian aid to Armenia.

3/9 In Apr 1993 Turkey closed its border with Armenia in response to the Arm occupation of Kalbajar, Azerbaijan. In other words, it was occupation and violation of international law by Arm that closed the opportunity for cooperation and put Arm into its open dependence on Russia.

4/9 Normalization of relations with Turkey is impossible without the resolution of #NagornoKarabakh conflict. In 2009 Zurich protocols failed exactly for this reason after the protest of official Baku.

5/9 Add recent provocative statements of Armenian leadership (both President and PM) on the Treaty of Sevres and Armenian-Turkish border. For more information on this topic see Gerard Libaridian’s recent article here: https://www.aravot-en.am/2020/09/01/263436/

6/9 It is true, the lack of economic and social exchange under the Soviets impeded the process of normalization of relations between the two nations. For 70 years people had no choice to communicate, no choice to listen to each other. The war in NK only exacerbated the situation.

7/9 Closed borders and the lack of knowledge about each other create additional myths leading to the radicalization of societies. For sure, the memory of 1915 is the biggest trauma of the Armenian society that needs to be treated carefully.

8/9 Strategic vision is important to understand the perspectives for Armenia’s future. Its prosperity directly depends on its relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and reopening of Armenian borders with them depends on the resolution of NK and de-occupation of the Az lands.

9/9 Open borders with Tr will not only bring economic advantages to Armenia. It will diversify its foreign policy choices and most importantly will initiate dialogue between societies. This is crucial in order to prevent future conflicts, for the sake of future generations. END