EP delegation regrets Turkey’s non-ratification of protocols

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Delegation to EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, chaired by Milan Cabrnoch made a statement, summing up the results of their 2-day visit to Armenia.

In the statement, the EP representatives expressed regret over non-ratification of protocols and slow progress in normalization of Armenia-Turkey ties, “which might positively affect regional situation.”

On August 22, 2011, Turkey’s Grand National Assembly has withdrawn from the agenda 898 bills, including the protocols envisaging normalization of relations Armenia and opening of the border. The new Turkish parliament said that the issue of opening of border with Armenia is no longer actual for the country’s political course. Besides, in compliance with the parliament’s regulations, a bill that was rejected by the parliament loses its legal force during six months.

However, on September 27, Turkish council of ministers has brought the Armenian-Turkish protocols to the parliament’s agenda in what Turkish media described to be “good will gesture towards Armenia.”

The protocols were signed in 2009 in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu. In April 2010, RA President Serzh Sargsyan decreed to suspend the process of ratification of the protocols due to Ankara’s unwillingness to ratify them.