HOVHANNISYAN SAYS THERE ARE SEVERAL VARIANTS TO DERAIL PROTOCOLS
Yerkir
14.12.2009 16:38
Yerevan
Yerevan (Yerkir) – Vahan Hovhannisyan, the leader of the ARF faction
in parliament and a member of the ARF Bureau, has said there are
several variants to fail the Armenian-Turkish protocols.
He told a news conference on December 14 that pressure on Armenia
continues, and US Secretary of State Hillary Cinton’s reaction to
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement is an example of such
pressure.
Hovhannisyan, presenting his variants for derailing the protocols,
said: "We can declare that Turkey is violating the agreements. We can
do as the Turkish prime minister did when he said that the Turkish
government cannot pressure the parliament to ratify the protocols. And
I am sure in case of a free vote, the Armenian parliament would not
ratify the protocols."
Hovhannisyan added that other options are also possible, such as
amending the protocols without withdrawing from the negotiations,
and if Turkey fails to agree with the amendments, the talks would
start from the very beginning.
Hovhannisyan also said that even if the Armenian leadership withdraws
from the talks, the ARF would not return to the ruling coalition. "One
thing we saw is that our authorities are capable of making decisions
without prior consultations," Hovhannisyan said referring to the
secret talks with Turkey. He added that until this style is reviewed
there will be no return to the coalition.
He also said that the ARF will continue fighting against the protocols,
and a rally will be held on January 12, 2010 when the Armenian
Constitutional Court is scheduled to consider their constitutionality.