ANKARA-YEREVAN PROTOCOLS ENCOURAGING ARMENIA: TURKISH MP

Trend
Oct 19 2009
Azerbaijan

A member of the Turkish Parliament believes that the protocols signed
between Ankara and Yerevan gives hope to Armenia in the settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on its terms.

"Signing of the Ankara-Yerevan protocols encourages Armenia," the
Turkish Parliamentarian and Member of the Republican People’s Party
of Turkey, Onur Oymen said to Trend News over telephone from Ankara
on Oct. 19.

Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocol in Zurich on Oct. 10.

Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia’s
claims to recognize so-called "Armenian genocide" and Armenia’s
occupation of Azerbaijani lands.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

The signed protocols will be submitted to the Turkish Parliament for
discussions on Oct. 21.

Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a news conference
that it will be impossible to ratify the protocols at the parliament,
until the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved.

The Turkish President, Abdullah Gul said in his interview with
TRT1 TV channel that there was progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement. The Turkish President also noted that Ankara’s
intention to normalize the diplomatic relations with Yerevan made the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem which has been forgotten at the political
arena for many years the topical.

There is progress in the settlement of the conflict, Gul said, not
divulging what it was. The Turkish President added that the U.S. and
Russia have the same opinion on this issue.

Turkey will not benefit from signing of the Ankara-Yerevan protocols,
said Oymen.

"During signing of the Ankara-Yerevan, protocols Turkey had to demand
official guarantees from Armenia in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem. But it did not do it," he said. Oymen also believes that
Turkey signed the protocols under pressure.

"The Turkish government has promised not to open the border, until
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is resolved. If there was no intention
to open the border, it should not sign the protocols," he said.

According to Oymen, the signed protocols did not reflect the interests
of the Turkish people.