PROTOCOLS ARE BEING USED TO PRESSURE ARMENIA, SAYS MANOYAN

Asbarez
Nov 24th, 2009

ARF Political Director Giro Manoyan

YEREVAN (Yerkir)-The Armenia-Turkey protocols are being used to
pressure Armenia on the Karabakh issue, said Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Political Affairs Director Giro Manoyan, reiterating his
party’s position that since Turkey has changed the rules of the game,
Armenia should pull out from the process or say that they have failed.

According to Manoyan, who was speaking at a press conference Tuesday,
the Karabakh conflict resolution process would have been very different
if Turkey did not place the preconditions on the protocol ratification
process.

The current climate of pressure on Armenia allowed Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev to go a step further and, on the eve of scheduled talks
with his Armenian counterpart, make military threats against Armenia,
said Manoyan who went on to criticize Armenia’s official handling of
this situation and other such incidents during this tense diplomatic
process.

Manoyan pointed out that Armenia’s response to the Azeri president’s
remarks was insufficient. He argued that it was unsatisfactory for
the president’s spokesperson to announce that Armenia will recognize
Karabakh’s independence in the event of military aggression by
Azerbaijan, explaining that in the event of an Azeri attack, Armenia
should be calling for uniting Armenia with Karabakh.

The ARF leader also criticized other announcements by Armenian
officials, whereby Aliyev’s statements were characterized as "for
domestic consumption."

"What does it mean that it is for internal consumption when we can
hear it too," said Manoyan, stressing the importance of an effective
response from the Armenian authorities.