SARKSYAN SEEKS TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR DEAL WITH TURKEY

Today’s Zaman
Turkey
Sept 19 2009

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan held five-hour-long talks with the
Armenian opposition on Thursday to elaborate on the Turkish-Armenian
protocols set to be signed between Turkey and Armenia on Oct. 13.

Upon the invitation of Sarksyan, 52 political parties gathered
for an off-the-record meeting to hear the Armenian president’s
responses to concerns raised by various, mostly nationalist,
political parties. Commenting on the meeting to the press, Sarksyan
told reporters that he had listened to the various points of view
and these included encouragement and positive reactions along with
concerns and criticisms. Promising that he will address all the
issues causing concern, Sarksyan said problems with Turkey must be
overcome and added that his invitation to Turkish President Abdullah
Gul to visit Armenia to watch a World Cup qualifying match between
the national soccer teams of the two countries last year was aimed
at opening a window of opportunity for bilateral relations.

"Of course I also see risks and I also have concerns. But in order
for our concerns to be comparable, in order for us to be able to
adequately evaluate risks and understand that we have work to do,
we must be able to bring all our observations to the same level,"
Sarksyan said.

The Turkish-Armenian protocols which are due to be signed on the
anniversary of Kars Treaty — the only legal document determining
Turkish-Armenian borders which was signed in 1921 between Soviet Russia
and Turkey — are expected to be a breakthrough in the normalization
of relations between Turkey and Armenia. Several of the largest
Armenian opposition groups oppose the protocols. However, Sarksyan’s
Republican Party has a majority in the Parliament and observers give
the opposition in Parliament little chance to block the ratification.