KARS TREATY APPEARED CRUCIAL TO ARMENIANS’ HISTORY

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2009 15:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Kars treaty played crucial role in Armenian
people’s history. If the document becomes agenda issue for parliament
discussions and is ratified by RA National Assembly, Armenia can no
longer set territorial claims towards Turkey, Edward Minasyan, Dean of
YSU History Department, told a news conference today. "The Kars Treaty
mainly reiterated the clauses of the 1921 Moscow Treaty. Under the
Treaty of Kars, Armenia lost major part of its territory, including
the Kars province and Surmalu. The latter never belonged to Turkey,"
the historian stressed.

According to Edward Minasyan, Kars treaty contains several clauses
pertaining to Armenian-Turkish interests. "Under the treaty, Armenia
lost 24 thousand sq. m. of its territory. Nakhichevan became an
autonomous republic under Azerbaijan’s protectorate. Besides,
the document stipulates for Armenia’s denunciation of Sevre
Treaty. The border established under the Kars Treaty passed across
Akhouryan-Arpa-Chai, i.e. borderline separating Armenia and Turkey
at present," Mr. Minasyan noted, adding that if the document had an
international ratification, Turkish side wouldn’t be so concerned
now. "Turkey fears lest it should face problems caused by absence
of international ratification. When Turkey recognized Armenia’s
independence, it advanced three preconditions for normalizing
relations, with the demand to recognize Kars Treaty being of them,"
the historian noted.

The Kars Treaty, dated October 13, 1921, was signed between Turkey on
the one hand, and Soviet Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on the other.