TURKISH ACCORDS TO BE RATIFIED ONLY AFTER ARMENIAN "CONCESSIONS ON KARABAKH"

news.az
Dec 1 2009
Azerbaijan

Alexander Arzumanyan The Armenian-Turkish protocols on establishing
diplomatic relations and opening the border will not be ratified
without resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Alexander Arzumanyan,
spokesman for the opposition Armenian National Congress, has said.

"The Armenian-Turkish protocols will be ratified only when the
Armenian side makes concessions on Karabakh," Arzumanyan told reporters
on Tuesday.

The former foreign minister said that the 22 November meeting of the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan showed that "there is at least
a verbal agreement on the signing of a document based on the Madrid
principles, which have been made public, and the document envisions
the return of seven controlled districts to Azerbaijan."

Arzumanyan said that any conflict is settled in phases.

"Conflicts have never been settled on the basis of a package principle
as this is almost impossible. The Madrid principles also envision
a phased process. Moreover, along with regulations on the return of
the controlled lands, the paragraph about the free expression of will
contradicts the interests of the Armenian side," Arzumanyan said.

He said that this part of the principles uses the euphemism "expression
of will", instead of the word "referendum", which is as dangerous as
the return of controlled lands.

The Madrid principles, as recalled by the French, American and
Russian presidents in their statement in July at the G8 summit in
L’Aquila, are:

â~@¢the return of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh
to Azerbaijani control â~@¢an interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh
providing guarantees for security and self-governance â~@¢a corridor
linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh â~@¢future determination
of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally
binding expression of will â~@¢the right of all internally displaced
persons and refugees to return to their former places of residence
â~@¢international security guarantees that would include a peacekeeping
operation.