Karen Bekaryan: I view Turkish Prime Minister’s statement as racist

April 2, 2010 - 14:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia had to give a harsh response to Turkish Prime Minister’s statement on possible deportation of 100 thousand illegal Armenian workers from the country, according to Karen Bekaryan, chairman of European Integration NGO.

“The Armenian authorities should have initiated the process of withdrawal of signature from the protocols on normalization of relations with Turkey,” Mr. Bekaryan told reporters on Friday. “In addition, the Foreign Ministry should have called on Armenian citizens to refrain from visiting Turkey.

“I view the Turkish Prime Minister’s statement as racist,” he said.

As to the Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, Mr. Bekaryan said much depends on the forthcoming Sargsyan-Obama-Erdogan meeting in Washington. “There is a slim chance that the protocols will be ratified,” he said.

Asked to comment on the Karabakh process, Mr. Bekaryan said, “The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs come to understand that resolution of the conflict is impossible without re-engagement of NKR in the negotiation process.” Assessing the possibility of resumption of hostilities as low, he said that “war is unlikely but we should be prepared for it.”

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “it contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols.” ”The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same allegiance from the Armenian government,” the Ministry said.