PROTOCOLS OUTLINE MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF COMMON BORDER, DIALOGUE ON HISTORY

Today’s Zaman
Sept 2 2009
Turkey

Two protocols which Ankara and Yerevan announced they will sign within
six weeks under a plan to normalize relations include provisions to
help better explain to the public the course of affairs regarding
the highly sensitive issue, which may be subject to ultra-nationalist
rhetoric.

The protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Armenia and Turkey "confirms the mutual recognition of the existing
border between the two countries as defined by the relevant treaties
of international law."

Over years of non-dialogue, it has been assumed that the Yerevan
administration refused to recognize the Gumru and Kars Agreements that
established the Turkish-Armenian border in 1920 and 1921, respectively.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking in an interview with the
NTV news channel on Tuesday, underlined that the recognition of the
borders was an important element of the recent development.

The second protocol, the protocol on the development of relations
between Armenia and Turkey, says that the two countries have agreed
to "implement a dialogue on the historical dimension with the aim
to restore mutual confidence between the two nations, including an
impartial scientific examination of historical records and archives
to define existing problems and formulate recommendations."

The second protocol says that Armenia and Turkey have agreed on the
establishment of an intergovernmental bilateral commission which
shall form separate sub-commissions for the prompt implementation of
the commitments mentioned in the operational paragraph 2, mentioned
above, in the same protocol. The aforementioned paragraph highlights
"Considering the perspective of developing their bilateral relations,
based on confidence and respect to their mutual interests."

"To prepare the working modalities of the intergovernmental commission
and its sub-commissions, a working group headed by the two ministers of
foreign affairs shall be created two months after the day following
the entry into force of this protocol. Within three months after
the entry into force of this protocol, these modalities shall be
approved at the ministerial level. The intergovernmental commission
shall meet for the first time immediately after the adoption of the
said modalities. The sub-commission shall start their work at the
latest one month thereafter and they shall work continuously until the
completion of their mandates. Where appropriate, international experts
shall take part in the sub-commissions," the second protocol says.