Parliamentary groups concerned over the oncoming Sargsyan-Erdogan meeting

April 9, 2010 - 16:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - International nuclear security summit is scheduled for April 12-13 in Washington, with a meeting planned between Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the course of the summit.

There’s noting unexpected about Serzh Sargsyan’s agreeing to meet the Turkish Premier in Washington, Heritage parliamentary group leader Stepan Safaryan said.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, “Armenia can’t withdraw from reconciliation as it’s not the only participant of rapprochement process. Any steps in this direction could entail negative consequences.”

“Still, despite possible attempts to present the meeting as a step towards reconciliation, Armenia-Turkey Protocols ratification process has already exhausted itself,” Stepan Safaryan emphasized.

Orinats Yerkir parliamentary group leader Heghine Bisharyan, however, characterized the oncoming meeting as a signal of readiness to ratify protocols without preconditions.

“Armenian leader’s agreement to meet Prime Minister Erdogan proves that RA government’s initiative policy is open to consider any solutions proposed,” ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group leader Artsvik Minasyan stated.

“Turkey will attempt to push forward the rapprochement process, as well as Karabakh issue, aiming to work on fulfillment of its precondition on Karabakh settlement,” he emphasized.

RPA parliamentary group leader Galust Sahakan stressed that RA President’s meeting with Turkish Prime Minister enables Turkey to demonstrate its interest in proceeding with reconciliation.

Still, as he noted, reasonable time –frames, stipulated for Armenia-Turkey ratification have long been expired, so even now, Armenia is ready to withdraw its signature. “Armenia, however, has to pick a favorable time to do so,” he concluded.

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.