Armenia will suspend dialogue if Turkey doesn’t ratify Protocols till April 24

February 18, 2010 - 16:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
The region is facing new developments which can lead to a change in the balance of forces, a Heritage party member said.

“The international community increases pressure for resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict because Turkey demands progress in talks in exchange for ratifying the Protocols on normalization of relations with Armenia,” Stepan Safaryan said during a joint news conference with RPA’s Karen Avagyan.

Mr. Avagyan said for his part that progress is observed in Karabakh talks, since NKR’s re-engagement in the process is being discussed. “The fact that Ankara doesn’t link the Karabakh problem to Armenian-Turkish reconciliation can be eyed as progress,” he added.

As to ratification of Protocols, Mr. Avagyan said Armenia will suspend the dialogue if Turkey doesn’t ratify them till April 24.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.

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.