VLADIMIR KARAPETIAN: DRAFT ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS CONTAIN DANGEROUS PRECONDITIONS

Noyan Tapan
Sep 1, 2009

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The draft Armenian-Turkish
protocols, which envisage normalization of bilateral relations,
contain preconditions undesirable for the Armenian side. Vladimir
Karapetian, Armenian National Congress Foreign Relations Executive,
stated this. In his words, "the Armenian authorities have accepted
the precondition put forward by the Turkish side on creation of an
Armenian-Turkish subcommission of historians, which can greatly hinder
the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide."

According to the protocol on development of bilateral relations, in
addition to the others, an intergovernmental commission not engaged
in the historic plane should be created. Its function is "fulfillment
of a dialogue aimed at mutual confidence between the two peoples."

V. Karapetian reminded that as far back as in 2005 Turkish Prime
Minister Erdogan proposed creating a bilateral commission of historians
to study the facts of the Genocide. However the Armenian authorities
of that time declined that proposal.

According to V. Karapetian, it is also alarming that these two
protocols after being signed should be submitted for ratification by
the parliaments.

In his words, it is not a procedure accepted in international
practice. It will give the Turkish side a possibility to constantly
delay protocols’ coming in force and to find new preconditions for
that process: for instance, to link normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations with the Nagorno Karabakh settlement.