Protocols failure damaged Turkish democracy – expert

Protocols failure damaged Turkish democracy – expert

PanARMENIAN.Net - Opening of the border with Turkey has always been on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda and the protocols appeared as the most serious step in this direction, an Armenian expert said.

“The failure of the protocols was a blow to Turkish diplomacy, with the international community, specifically the United States, Russia and the EU blaming Ankara for being an irresponsible and unconstructive partner,” Ruben Melkonyan told a press conference on October 10.

According to him, Turkey’s policy of “zero problems with neighbors” flopped. “Besides, Ankara’s calls for formation of a committee of historians caused a split among Turkish scholars, some of whom do not support the governmental stand on the Armenian Genocide issue,” Melkonyan said.

He also thinks that despite Turkey’s alleged willingness to normalize relations with Armenia, the country was not interested in them. “If the protocols were beneficial for Turkey, they would have been ratified by the parliament long ago,” the expert said.

The protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the common 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On August 22, 2011, Turkey’s Grand National Assembly has withdrawn from the agenda 898 bills, including the Armenian-Turkish protocols. The new Turkish parliament considered that the issue of opening of border with Armenia is no longer actual for the country’s political course. Besides, in compliance with the parliament’s regulations, a bill that was rejected by the parliament loses its legal force during six months.

However, on September 23 the protocols were brought back to the parliament’s agenda.

3  10.10.11 - Press conference of turkologist Ruben Melkonyan
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