The panel comprised Anil Trigunayat, Former Indian Envoy to Libya, Malta and Jordan, Abdullah Bozkurt, Sweden based Investigative Journalist, Turkey expert and Director, Nordic Monitoring and Research Network, Hany Ghoraba, Egyptian Journalist and Counter Terrorism Analyst and Ararat Kostanian, Formerly at Armenian Foreign Ministry and currently, a junior Fellow at National Academy of Sciences, Armenia.
The panel focussed on the views taken by Turkish government on the Karabakh issue and geopolitics involved with it. The panel agreed that Erdogan has assumed a position of Islamic leader ‘Calipha’ and ideology is driving Turkey’s Foreign policy in years to come particularly Political Islam. Abdullah Bozkurt opined that long lost are the days of Ataturk’s Turkey.
Ararat believed that there is a grand plan of Erdogan to subdue Armenia. “This has happened as big powers like European Union shied away in criticizing Turkey’s policies. By supporting Azerbaijan Turkey wants to claim the Islamic leadership. Pakistan also has been hostile to Armenia and does not recognize it as a State. As a result, it is exporting jihadists to fight Armenia like mercenaries. Pakistan has mastered these techniques of cross border terrorism and promoted global jihad through decades and under no circumstances is going to stop.”
Hany pointed out the hidden agenda of Erdogan which he successfully closeted in from European powers and Middle East. “He has become the ‘sick man’ of Europe and lost friends all over. With his taking up Uyghur issue in China or desire to mediate in Kashmir conflict, there is a desperate attempt to proclaim leadership of Islam.“
How should India react to the situation?
Ambassador Anil Trigunayat wanted India to take a cautious approach. India has excellent relations with Armenia and good trade relations with Azerbaijan. Armenia has great cultural links with India in form of Armenian Christians living in India.
“But India believes in the dialogue process and a dialogue process already exists between these two nations which India sees as part of the solution,” the senior diplomat said.
Hany pointed out that Nagorno Karabakh has majority of Armenians hence Armenia has legitimate interests in the area.
CEO of Usanas Foundation Abhinav Pandya felt India needed a Caucasus policy. Referring to Erdogan, he classified him with leaders who want to bring past glory and evoke a holy war.
He also criticized Pakistan for promoting global jihad and cross border terrorism despite constantly being unable to control its own polity.