Interfax, Russia
Oct 12 2009

Armenian parliament will start discussing protocols after Turkey ratifies

YEREVAN Oct 12

Armenian parliament will debate the Armenian-Turkish protocols, signed
in Zurich, only after they have been ratified by the Turkish
parliament.

"The parliament will start the discussions and make a decision on the
Armenian-Turkish protocols only after they are confirmed by the
parliament of Turkey," Galust Saakian, the head of the majority
faction of the Armenian Republican Party, said at a news conference on
Monday.

This is because the border was in fact closed by Turkey, he said.

"The question is, the border must be opened by Turkey after the
parliament decides on this," the Armenian lawmaker said.

If Turkey dodges the accords, or comes up with amendments, the
Armenian parliament will not enter the discussion of the protocols on
its agenda, he said.

Meanwhile, no problems are expected to arise in the Armenian
parliament during ratification. Before the protocols were signed the
leaders of the parliamentary factions of the governing coalition – the
Republican Party, Orinats Yerkir and the Prospering Armenia parties –
made a joint statement in support of the government’s policy to
normalize Armenian-Turkish relations.

The protocols are opposed by the Dashnaktsutyun and Heritage
opposition parties, which have 23 votes – 16, and seven, respectively.

There are 131 seats in the Armenian parliament.