Erdogan: Turkish parliament to vote down protocols

April 13, 2010 - 13:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The meeting between Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was rather cold, Sabah Turkish newspaper said.

According to the report, Turkish Prime Minister confirmed his country’s commitment to normalization of relations with Armenia and establishment of peace in the South Caucasus but remarked that “given the resolutions recently adopted by the U.S. House panel and Swedish Riksdag, the Turkish parliament will vote down the protocols, if these are put on the agenda in near future.”

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.