ARMENIAN THAW WITH TURKEY CLEARS COURT HURDLE
Today’s Zaman
Jan 12 2010
Turkey
Armenia’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday rejected opposition
complaints over the legality of a a government push to end a century
of hostility with neighbouring Turkey.
The ruling means accords calling for the establishment of diplomatic
relations and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border can move to
parliament, although there is little sign they will be adopted soon.
The accords, which need parliamentary approval in both countries, have
been gathering dust since they were signed by the two governments in
October 2009, with Turkey facing a backlash from close ally Azerbaijan,
a key energy supplier to the West.
The accords seek to overcome a century of animosity stemming from
the World War One mass killing of both Armenians and Ottoman Turks.
Reading the ruling, court president Gagik Harutiunyan said the
protocols "conform with the constitution of Armenia".
"The decision is final and cannot be challenged," he said, to shouts
of "Shame!" from opposition supporters in the court. Several hundred
more protested outside.
Rapprochement would bring economic benefits to poor, landlocked
Armenia, while Turkey would burnish its credentials as a potential
European Union member and boost its influence in the strategic South
Caucasus.
Adoption continues to be held up by a Turkish demand that Armenia
make concessions in the festering conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a
mainly Armenian region that broke away from Azerbaijan with Armenian
backing in the early 1990s.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with
Azerbaijan during the fighting.
Azerbaijan, courted by Europe and Russia for its oil and gas reserves
in the Caspian Sea, has reacted angrily to the thaw, fearing it will
lose leverage in the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations if Turkey opens
the border.