IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO FAIL RATIFICATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS IN THE PARLIAMENT – DASHNAKTSUTYUN

ARKA
Oct 14, 2009

YEREVAN, October 14. /ARKA/. "Dashnaktsutyun" thinks that to fail the
ratification of Armenian-Turkish protocols in the Parliament will not
be difficult, said Vahan Hovhanissyan, the Head of Parliamentary Group
"Dashnaktsutyun".

"Some hours before the signing of the protocols "Dashnaktsutyun"
submitted a document in four points to the President Serzh Sargsyan
where our dangers were stated .There was a reference for Republican
Party of Armenia headed by the President. If this reference will
appear realizable, I do not think that it will be difficult to obtain
the refusal of the Parliament in ratification of the protocols",
said Hovhanissyan on Wednesday during the press-conference.

On October 10, the President of Armenia said that any relations
with Turkey could not cast doubt on the fact of Armenian Genocide in
1915. Armenia and Turkey have only a border issue. The signed protocols
are not related to the regulation of Karabakh conflict. Currently in
the Parliament of Armenia 20-25% of Parliament members are against the
ratification of protocols, but 95% and more are against ratification
"in their hearts", said Hovhanissyan.

He said that the political parties who were recently supporting the
protocols started to change their position.

On Saturday, October 10, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and
Turkey Edward Nalbandyan and Ahmed Davutoghlu signed "Protocol on
regulation of diplomatic relations" and "Protocol on the development
of mutual relations" in Zurich. The documents should be approved by
the Parliaments of both countries.

Armenian-Turkish border was closed since 1993 by the official
initiative of Ankara. Complicated relations between two countries were
due to the fact that Ankara supported Azerbaijan in Karabakh problem
and also an acute reaction of Turkey on the process of international
recognition of Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Ottoman Empire.