ARF COMMENTS ON CC’S VERDICT

news.am
Jan 13 2010
Armenia

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) issued a statement
on January 13, wherein it addressed the RA Constitutional Court’s
verdict confirming the constitutionality of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols. Although the Constitutional Court confirmed the
constitutionality of the protocols, the ARF sees progress in
verdict. "In its legal statement the CC confirmed that the protocols
exclusively deal with the establishment of diplomatic relations and
reopening of the present-day common border. The CC also addressed
the major concerns and provided a satisfactory basis for Armenia’s
reservations," says the statement.

Referring to the CC’s verdict, the ARF states that "the protocols
cannot legalize the Armenian-Turkish borders. The issue of borders
remains open. It can only be settled by means of intergovernmental
agreements which can be discussed in the future in conformity with
the Armenian Constitution and laws. Attaching importance to the legal
assessment, the ARF states that they can neutralize the present threats
if, due to the CC’s verdict, the threats turn into reservations at
the ratification stage."

The ARF member Armen Rustamyan pointed out that the party’s first
step will now be proposing amendments to the relevant law for the
Armenian Parliament to ratify the protocols with reservations. If
it fails, the party will introduce an initiative to invalidate
the protocols. "The CC has provided sufficient grounds for that,"
Rustamyan said. He pointed out that the process of invalidating the
protocols will politically mean a process of changing power.