Armenian Assembly participates in panel on protocols

armradio.am
12.12.2009 11:29

Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) Board of Trustees Member,
Peter Kezirian and Assembly Western Region Director Yeghig Keshishian
participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Armenian Law Student
Association (ALSA) of Southwestern Law School in conjunction with the
Law School’s Diversity Affairs Office regarding the recently signed
protocols to establish normal relations without preconditions between
the Republics of Armenia and Turkey. The panel also included Steve
Dadaian and Vicken Sonentz Papazian representing the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

Following the opening remarks by Stella Pogosyan, President of the
Armenian Law Student Association at Southwestern, the Assembly and
ANCA each discussed the protocols. Keshishian opened his discussion
looking at the geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus, noting
that the Republic of Armenia, since its independence in 1991, has
sought formal diplomatic relations with Turkey without preconditions.
Turkey meanwhile has insisted on preconditions such as concessions on
Nagorno Karabakh and demands that Armenia renounce international
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey’s 15-year plus blockade
of Armenia also reflects part of Turkey’s strategy to attempt to
isolate and marginalize Armenia.

Armenia has withstood Turkey’s hostile actions and for the first time,
Turkey has publicly committed to normalize relations with Armenia and
lift its blockade. Despite Turkey’s continued counterproductive
statements, Turkish demands for concessions on Nagorno Karabakh are
not contained within the protocols.

Referring to the actual text of the protocols, Keshishian noted that
they do not threaten the veracity of the Armenian Genocide, nor do
they require Armenia to abdicate its treaty rights on territorial
issues or require concessions on Nagorno Karabakh as many have
speculated.

Steve Dadaian, speaking on behalf of the ANCA, attempted to use legal
arguments to argue that the Protocols undercut particular interests of
the Armenian Republic and accused the current government of not having
the position or moral authority to deal with these concerns. The
analysis, however, requires Protocol opponents to read into the
document a number of arguments that have been explicitly rejected by
the two countries. Dadaian also discussed the notion of bringing a
legal claim under the auspices of the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) to settle claims regarding the Armenian Genocide. While the
United States filed a document in 1951 before the ICJ affirming the
Armenian Genocide, Dadaian omitted that Turkey cannot be compelled to
submit to ICJ jurisdiction.

During the question and answer period, the Southwestern Law students
raised a number of insightful issues on both the strategic and legal
elements of the Armenian-Turkish relationship. Kezirian, drawing upon
his international legal experience, addressed issues tied to treaty
interpretation, Armenian national interests and the benefits generated
by lifting the Turkish blockade and formal diplomatic recognition. In
essence, with normalized relations, Armenia will be in control of its
own economic as well as political destiny.

Papazian and Dadaian argued that the Protocols are poorly drafted and
will help Turkey’s accession to the European Union, which require open
borders. However, Turkey has been in this process for more than three
decades and the rapprochement process allows Armenia to take control
of its own future, rather than simply rely on the good wishes of
others. Open borders is and has already been an important strategic
objective for the Republic; Turkey has tried to leverage this need to
force Armenian concessions on Karabakh and the Genocide. The Armenian
people and its governments have withstood this pressure and are now
poised to achieve a major objective without any concessions.
"The Armenian-Turkish Protocols Speaker Event successfully achieved
its goal by presenting students an objective analysis of the issues,
and allowed them to formulate their own opinions," stated ALSA
President Stella Pogosyan. "Only through such open, honest and
balanced talks can we achieve progress and results. We thank each of
our four speakers for their participation: Yeghig Keshishian, Peter
Kezirian, Steve Dadaian, and Viken Sonentz Papazian," Pogosyan added.

"It was one of the most important and beneficial events the
Southwestern Armenian Law Student Association and the Southwestern Law
School’s Diversity Affairs Office held this academic year," concluded
Pogosyan.