ARMENIA WILL NOT NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH TURKEY AT THE EXPENSE OF KARABAKH, NIKOYAN

Tert.am
16:27 ~U 28.12.09

Three months have already passed since the Armenian and Turkish
Foreign Ministers signed in Geneva the Armenia-Turkey Protocols aimed
at normalizing relations between two countries. The Protocols are set
to be ratified by the Parliaments of Armenia and Turkey, but that has
not occurred yet and the Armenian-Turkish border is still closed. On
top of this the Armenian Diaspora and Armenian opposition in their
turn continue blaming the Armenian authorities that Turkey is trying
to link the closed borders with the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

In an interview with the Russian Slon.ru website Armenian National
Assembly Vice-Spokesman Samvel Nikoyan has said that if Turkey goes
on with the same tactics, Armenia may call back its signature.

Armenia’s Constitutional Court is set to make a decision over the
Protocols on January 10.

Asked about his approach to the fact the Armenian side hoped for a
change in Turkey’s approach after the Obama-Erdogan meeting on December
7, while it turned out that Turkey has not changed its stance, that
is to say it continues to link the Armenian-Turkish relations with
Karabakh conflict settlement, Nikoyan has said the following:

"It is still early to make any conclusion. The question is that,
if Turkey does not ratify the Agreement, it will become a challenge
not only for Armenia, but for Europe, too, as Turkey wants to becomes
a European Union member. It is also a challenge for US and Russia,
as the international prestige of these countries is at stake. If they
allow Turkey to treat them that way, that is up to them then."

As what concerns Armenia, Nikoyan says it will continue meeting its
commitments towards Turkey in a due manner.

"I think Armenia too will ratify the Protocols after Turkey has
ratified them. And if Turkey goes on following its recently-adopted
policy, that is hardening its stance and linking the Armenian-Turkish
relations with the Karabakh issue, then it will not yield a
constructive dialogue. Armenia will not normalize relations with
Turkey at the expense of Karabakh."