ANCC expresses deep concern for the signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocols

PanARMENIAN.Net - The ANCC expresses dismay and deep concern for the signing of the Turkey-Armenia protocols in Zurich. In the opinion of the ANCC, as well as the vast majority of the Armenian Diaspora, this agreement was the result of immense and undue pressure on landlocked and blockaded Armenia by leading powers within the international community, and in full disregard of historical facts, human rights and justice, and self-determination rights.



In our opinion, forcing a nation to accept conditions to so-called normalizing relations with a State which carried out a clear policy of annihilation towards that same nation, should be regarded as unwarranted at best.



The President of Armenia, upon the completion of his informational visits to the five largest communities. He stated that "the wounds of genocide do not cicatrize", "there is no alternative to the establishment of relations with Turkey without preconditions". The President of Armenia then went on to reiterate, verbatim, the honest expressions of concerns of various Armenian organizations within and outside of Armenia, summarized in the three citations as follows:



"1. Any relation with Turkey cannot call into question the fact of the genocide of the Armenian people. This is a well-known fact, which should be recognized and condemned by all humanity. The corresponding sub-commission of the intergovernmental commission is not a commission of historians." Nonetheless, ANCC points out that the protocols do in fact put the condition of the

creation of an intergovernmental commission. It is obvious that this commission's only aim will be to delay and hamper the process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, reward denialism, and sacrifice justice for the benefit of political expediency. The aim behind creating a commission to examine historical issues, namely the Genocide, is very questionable indeed: the Armenian Genocide is a fact that has been extensively studied and confirmed by world-renowned scholars, reputable historians as well as by over 20 States, including Canada.



"2. The issue of borders between Armenia and Turkey is a question to be solved in line with international law. The protocols do not provide for more than this." In ANCC's opinion, Turkey is convinced that, by this signature, the historically questionable borders between Turkey and present-day Armenia will be solidified, hence voiding any legitimate claims.



"3. These relations are in no way connected and cannot be connected with the settlement of the Karabakh issue, which is an independent and separate process. Armenia does not view the issues of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders as a remark connected with the Karabakh issue." Yet, statements pronounced throughout the protocols' process by Turkey's President and Prime Minister, have, to the contrary, directly linked territorial integrity of States to the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.



Otherwise, the existence of such a clause in the Protocols is meaningless.



The ANCC finds questionable the logic behind signing the Protocols after the President of Armenia presented the exact reasons for which the Armenian side should have refrained from doing so. ANCC President, Dr Girair Basmadjian, made the following statement following today's signature:



"Armenian organizations, both within Armenia and abroad, will hold the signatories of the Protocols accountable for any interpretation or unwarranted consequence that deviates from the above-cited statements of the President of Armenia."