UK hopes for Armenia-Turkey Protocols to be resumed

May 2, 2011 - 18:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - UK’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus commented on the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

“We always hope. I think it’s important that two countries with which we have friendly relations are able to move from this artificial position. Elections in Turkey are coming soon and I do not think that any one expects any major change before them. If the problem was easy it would have been solved long ago,” Sir Bryan Fall pointed out.

“The protocols were a huge step forward, in our view. They haven’t been ratified, which is a pity, but they haven’t disappeared either and probably we will come back to them,” he said.

Full text of the interview with Sir Brian Fall

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.