ARMENIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT STARTS DISCUSSING PROTOCOLS SIGNED WITH TURKEY

APA
Jan 12 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Armenian Constitutional Court has started hearings on
conformity of the Zurich protocols signed between Yerevan and Ankara
to the Main Law, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti. The hearings in
the Constitutional Court are open, but the meeting may be closed if a
related decision is passed. Only the judges being the members of the
Constitutional Court may attend the closed meeting, the decisions are
made by a vote majority. Chairman of the Constitutional Court Gagik
Harutyunyan told judge Vladimir Ovannissian to prepare a reference on
the conformity of the protocols to the Main Law. Tomorrow Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will attend the meeting in the
Constitutional Court in capacity of President’s representative.

Dashnaksutun party is holding meeting outside the Constitutional Court
now. The party demands to pass decision declaring protocols unlawful.

Chairman of the party’s supreme board and head of the parliament’s
foreign relations commission Armen Rustamyan also participates at
the meeting.

According to the Armenian Constitution and law on international
treaties, Armenian president sends international agreements signed by
the government to the Constitutional Court to specify its accordance
with Armenian legislation. The agreements are sent to the parliament
after submission of the court’s decision to the president. After that
the foreign ministry prepares ratification decree and submits it to
the president. The decree is signed by the president and foreign
minister. The treaty comes into force after exchanging it between
the sides.