PRESIDENT: ARMENIA TO TAKE ADEQUATE STEPS IN CASE TURKEY DELAYS RATIFICATION

ARKA
Nov 30, 2009

YEREVAN, November 30. / ARKA /. Armenia will take the appropriate
steps in case of delaying the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish
protocol by Turkey, President of Armenia, Chairman of the Republican
Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said on Saturday, speaking at the
congress of the Republican Party.

According to the President, today, when the Armenian-Turkish protocols
have been already signed we can say with great confidence that although
the parties are still in the beginning of the process and protocols
must still be ratified and fully implemented, unequivocally, that
managed to "break the ice" and make substantial progress in relations
with Turkey.

"It certainly will facilitate political and economic development of
our two countries, as well as regional cooperation, strengthening
stability and peace in the region," Sargsyan said.

He noted that currently the protocols are in the process of
ratification by the parliaments.

"It’s a process which should reflect the seriousness of the
positions of the parties, the credibility of their word and sense
of responsibility as a mirror. Armenia’s respects the international
obligations and has the dignity in their words, I hope that Turkey
will also be guided by such principles," the president said.

The head of the state noted that in these respects, the principle
of the reasonable time frame should be taking place, and if Turkey
delays the ratification process, Armenia will take appropriate steps
followed by the international law without interruptions.

"At the same time, Armenia is ready to effectively continue the
process. I have already appealed to the Constitutional Court to discuss
the relevant protocols of the Constitution of Armenia," Sargsyan said.

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey, Edward Nalbandyan
and Akhmed Davutoglu signed the protocol on establishing diplomatic
relations and the protocol for the development of bilateral relations
on October 10 in Zurich.

After the signing, the documents must be approved by the parliaments
of both countries.

Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became
independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support
for its ally, Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan.

There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of
normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara’s
blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution process and Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the mass
killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as
genocide.

The thaw in the strained relations began in 2008 September after
Turkish president Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia, at his counterpart’s
invitation, to watch together with Serzh Sargsyan the 2010 World Cup
qualifying football game between the two countries’ national teams.

During that visit the two presidents discussed prospects for engaging
in dialogue and normalization of relations.