Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Oct 25 2009
Long road ahead for Armenian protocols
Uncertainty remains over when the protocols signed between Turkey and
Armenia in Zurich on Oct. 10 will reach the Turkish Parliament.
The protocols, which were expected to be discussed in Parliament on
Oct. 21, will remain on the shelf for some more time due to an
increase in tensions between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Turkey plans to
simultaneously submit the protocols to Parliament with Armenia. The
decision to ban Azerbaijani flags at the stadium during the
Turkey-Armenia soccer game held in Bursa on Oct. 14 drew reaction from
Azerbaijan. Turkish flags at a cemetery of Turkish soldiers were taken
down in Baku, forcing Turkish authorities to deliver a note to
Azerbaijan for the first time.
The tension between the two countries has resulted in the delay of the
Turkish Parliament discussing the protocols. As a result of the delay
in Turkey, Armenia has started to act slowly on ratifying the
protocols as well. The current situation suggests it will take some
time before the protocols are approved in Parliament.
Even if the protocols are referred to Parliament next month, it seems
unlikely that they will be approved quickly unless the government
exerts extraordinary effort to ensure that they are passed. It is for
this reason that the submission and ratification of the protocols will
take a long time. Once the protocols reach Parliament, the speaker
will send them to the Foreign Affairs Commission. Whether the
commission will be able to immediately evaluate the protocols and
agreements depends on the determination of the government, which holds
the majority of seats on the commission. Examination of previous work
schedules reveals that there are no examples of a protocol or
agreement being sent to the commission within a month or two after
reaching Parliament. Once the protocols are approved by the Foreign
Affairs Commission, they will be discussed by the General Assembly.
Protocols that are approved by the General Assembly go into effect
upon being published in the Official Gazette.
A closer look at the Foreign Affairs Commission’s agenda reveals that
there are bilateral agreements and protocols that have been waiting
for approval for 26 years. The oldest draft bill and agreement waiting
at the commission is a law dated Dec. 14, 1983 on the overseas
organization of public agencies and institutions and an agreement
between Turkey and Iraq on building mutual consulates.
Although the agreement has been pushed aside after every election
period over the last 26 years, each government resubmits it to the
commission for consideration. There are currently 148 drafts and
proposals waiting to be approved by the commission.
A social security agreement with Sweden, a law on scientific and
technical cooperation in agriculture with Libya and a plant protection
cooperation agreement with Argentina have been waiting at the
commission for debate since 2004.
In addition to these, various agreements signed with 95 countries
including Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Slovenia, Malawi and Burkina Faso
are also waiting to be discussed by the commission. Azerbaijan and
Syria top the list of countries with which Turkey has signed the most
agreements. The Foreign Affairs Commission has yet to address more
than 20 agreements signed with these two countries. While 95 of the
148 items on the commission’s agenda are agreements signed with
different countries, 42 are agreements signed with international
agencies and institutions.
Among the international agreements that have been awaiting approval
since 2005 is a draft bill on ratifying a 2005 protocol related to
another protocol on preventing illegal actions threatening the safety
of fixed platforms on the continental shelf, a law approving an
agreement on building a high-performance railway network in
southeastern Europe and a draft bill on approving a supplementary
protocol of a bio-medicine agreement.
25 October 2009, Sunday
ERCAN YAVUZ ANKARA