Armenian president to discuss Turkey protocols on diaspora tour
by Emil Sanamyan

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Published: Thursday September 24, 2009

Washington – President Serge Sargsian will visit Armenian communities,
including those in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Rostov-on-Don in
Russia, and Beirut starting at the end of next week, according to
diplomatic sources involved in organizing the trip.

The visit is intended to outline Armenia’s policy vis-à-vis Turkey. On
August 31 Armenia and Turkey announced their intention to sign
protocols on diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation after six
weeks of domestic discussions. Under the protocols, Turkey agrees to
open the land border with Armenia.

Some major Armenian-American organizations have endorsed the protocols
while expressing concern about certain provisions. Others have been
more critical. In recent days, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
has organized protests at the Armenian Mission to United Nations in
New York, as well as in Los Angeles.
Mr. Sargsian’s visit to New York is expected to include a meeting with
representatives of Armenian-American groups on October 3. That would
be followed by a similar meeting as well as a televised press
conference in Los Angeles.

International context

The Armenian president’s trip comes just ahead of yet another summit
meeting between him and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev,
which is expected to take place in Moldova on October 8 or 9. The
signing of Armenia-Turkey protocols by the foreign ministers of
Armenia and Turkey is due on October 13.

Turkish leaders have said that implementation of the protocols is
contingent on satisfaction of Azerbaijan’s concerns in the Karabakh
dispute. Armenian officials for their part reject the link, noting
that the published protocols make no reference to the Karabakh
conflict.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated the Karabakh
linkage during his meeting with Jewish-American groups in New York on
September 22, Today’s Zaman reported, citing the Anatolia news agency.
The United States has reemerged as an informal facilitator of
Armenia-Turkey talks, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
discussing the issues in a phone call to President Sargsian on
September 19, the Armenian president’s office reported.

U.S. officials have called for progress on both the Karabakh and
Armenia-Turkey tracks but they have formally opposed a direct linkage
between the two.