The Europe-Armenia Advisory Council issued an open letter, published in the European media, to call on key European actors to be more involved in the rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey. The process risks to be marred by attempts to put preconditions to ratification of the Armenia-Turkey protocols by tandem of Turkish and Azerbaijani leadership, the European Friends of Armenia, EuFoA, told PanARMENIAN.Net.
In the open letter, the Europe-Armenia Advisory Council states that it “calls upon all EU Institutions to intervene with all possible instruments, including a high-level visit to the region, in order to urge both sides to ratify the protocols without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe, which should not exceed two months”.
The full text of the open letter to the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Baroness Ashton, The Chair of the EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Gabriele Albertini, The EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, and the Chair of the EP’s South Caucasus Delegation, Milan Cabrnoch, reads:
“As you are aware, relations between Turkey and Armenia are currently facing a historic turning point that will deeply affect the future diplomatic and strategic balances of the South Caucasus region. We believe that the signing of the protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and on the development of bilateral relations on 10 October 2009 is a truly historic process which will transform the enmity logic between the two countries and contribute to the security of
the entire region.
However, to our deepest regret, it seems that the rapprochement is being hampered by a lack of political commitment and a clear attempt to distort the protocols’ core principles.
Concerned about this recent development, the Europe-Armenia Advisory Council has issued the following declaration: “The Europe-Armenia Advisory Council, reaffirming that Turkey and Armenia need to continue the ratification of the signed protocols without setting preconditions, since these would only impede the first attempt to find a diplomatic solution for the longest standing
dispute in the South Caucasus; expressing concern over the possible stalemate of the process and fearing that the window of opportunity to settle this issue diplomatically might soon be lost for many years; reaffirming that the EU, as a now better-equipped international actor and advocate for effective multilateralism and in the light of its strong link with the parties involved, is the best-positioned honest-broker and guarantor for the ongoing process;
1. calls upon all EU Institutions to intervene with all possible instruments, including a high-level visit to the region, in order to urge both sides to ratify the protocols without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe, which should not exceed two months;
2. encourages all regional actors to contribute constructively to the ongoing process and especially invites Azerbaijan to join these efforts;
3. notes the statement of the US State Department welcoming the Armenian Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Armenia-Turkey protocols and calls upon all relevant European institutions to issue a similar statement, underlining that this court ruling freed the way for the protocols' ratification in Armenia and must not be misused by any party as a pretext to derail the ratification process;
4. calls upon the Armenian government and the Armenian Diaspora around the world to resist the Turkish government's new attempt to link the ratification of the protocols to the international recognition of the Armenian genocide;
5. reminds all parties involved not to turn to populism during the historic process of re-establishing ties between Turkey and Armenia.”
It is our firm belief that by participating in a strong manner in the process, the European Union can seize a great opportunity to score one more success in conflict settlement and the stabilisation of the region. With the assurance of our highest considerations we remain
Respectfully yours, The Europe-Armenia Advisory Council Members
Mr Kornel ALMASSY, MP (Hungary) Mr Ioannis KASOULIDES, MEP (Cyprus)
Dr Bernard COULIE (Belgium) Ms Katja PLATE (Germany)
Ms Alexandra DOBOLYI (Hungary) Mr François ROELANTS DU VIVIER (Belgium)
Mr Frank ENGEL, MEP (Luxembourg) Mr Valéry SAFARIAN (Belgium)
Bishop Joseph HOMEYER (Germany) Dr Charles TANNOCK, MEP (United Kingdom)
Ms Marie Anne ISLER BÉGUIN (France)”
The Europe-Armenia Advisory Council is a distinctive body created by EuFoA (www.eufoa.org) to promote relations between Europe and Armenia. Composed of leading European representatives from the political, business and cultural spheres from across Europe, it provides guidance on all major issues in these fields.
