Vahan Hovhannisyan: Genocide recognition would come sooner but for our signature on Protocols

April 24, 2010 - 12:12 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Head of ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group Vahan Hovhannisyan said that Armenia should withdraw its signature from the Protocols on normalization of relations with Turkey.

“If Turkey agrees to moderate its preconditions, Armenia will again be under pressure. The foremost task for Yerevan is to resist ratification of the current text of the Protocols. Furthermore, to avoid pressure in Karabakh issue, Armenia had better withdraw its signature,” he said.

According to Mr. Hovhannisyan, Armenian Genocide recognition “would come sooner but for our signature on Protocols.”

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.