Ankara claims "still committed" to Armenia-Turkey protocols

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey has said it is "still committed" to the protocols signed with Armenia in 2009, “despite Yerevan’s negative stance” in proceeding with the normalization of bilateral ties and the establishment of diplomatic relations, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

“Despite Armenia’s negative stance on the Protocols, Turkey is committed to the primary clauses of the Protocols. These Protocols are still on the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Commission. For their ratification it is essential that a favorable political atmosphere and peace in the South Caucasus be secured,” read a written statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Dec. 14.

The statement came after Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said Turkey is responsible for the delay in the ratification process, vowing that Armenia will welcome the spring of 2018 without the Zurich Protocols designed to allow the opening of borders and set up formal diplomatic relations with Ankara.

Nalbandian reminded that the normalization process began on the initiative of Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan.

"But the documents were not ratified after all as Turkey put forward unfounded preconditions that go against the letter and spirit of the protocols," the Armenian diplomat said.

"These papers can't remain hostage forever, and that is why president Sargsyan announced in the United Nations hall that Armenia will annul the protocols, and we will welcome the spring of 2018 without them."

“These claims do not reflect the truth and aim to mislead world public opinion,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in response, suggesting that Ankara had made efforts to normalize relations with Armenia “on several levels” after Armenia proclaimed its independence in 1991.