Arman Melikyan: Armenia has given carte blanche to Turkey

May 6, 2010 - 16:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - NKR ex-minister of foreign affairs Arman Melikyan said that the first stage of the Armenian-Turkish normalization has ended in favor of Turkey. "Turkey has managed to disseminate an idea at the international arena, according to which Armenia has resigned itself to the events took place during the World War I in the region and loss of lands. I strongly believe that in future Turkey will offer similar versions, while Armenia is not ready to that from the ideological point of view," Mr. Melikyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

The Armenian authorities proudly state that they have managed to unmask Turkey, but only the leadership believes in it, he said. In Melikyan's opinion, Turkey has succeeded in getting involved in the Karabakh conflict settlement, while Armenia is pushed aside of these processes. Thus, the stance of Yerevan may be disregarded while making decisions on it, Melikyan said. "In my opinion, after the Russian President's visit to Turkey and then to Armenia, it will become clear what period of time will be provided to Armenia to overcome this situation or accept the dictated decisions," the ex-minister said.

He said that Turkey had been trying to decoy Armenia, as having agreed to the Protocols, Yerevan automatically refrained from discussing with Turkey the issues related to restoration of the Armenian people's rights. "First, we should have declared invalidity of Kars Treaty. I offered to apply to Russia to reject also Moscow Agreement. Thus, we would have been able to start negotiations with Turkey from the positions of 1918," Melikyan said, adding that Armenia has become a lever for superpowers, which are pursuing their own goals in the region that differ from the Armenian people's interests.

Melikyan added that even the form of termination of the Protocols' ratification has been advantageous for Turkey. "Armenia has given a carte blanche to Turkey, without rejecting the Protocols finally, and Ankara may set the Karabakh issue as a precondition," the ex-minister of Artsakh said.

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.