ALTHOUGH COMPLIANCE OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS WITH CONSTITUTION RECOGNIZED, ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT UNLIKELY TO RATIFY IT: EXPERTS

Trend
Jan 13 2010
Azerbaijan

Although, the Armenian Constitutional Court has confirmed compliance
of the Armenian-Turkish protocols with the Constitution, the country’s
parliament is unlikely to ratify it, unless the Turkish Parliament
does, experts say.

"Despite Armenia’s Constitutional Court has confirmed today
compliance of the Armenian-Turkish protocols with the Constitution,
the Armenian parliament is unlikely to ratify these protocols,"
Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins University Director
Svante Cornell told Trend News over the telephone.

Armenia’s Constitutional Court found the Armenian-Turkish protocols
corresponding with the Constitution, the Novosti-Armenia news agency
reported.

Armenia’s Constitutional Court launched its consideration of the
protocols on Tuesday morning.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian spoke as official
representative of the Armenian President during consideration of
the case.

The case was considered in a written procedural order on the basis
of the documents submitted to the court.

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols on normalization
relations between two countries in Zurich Oct. 10, 2009.

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been broken due
to Armenia’s claims of an alleged genocide, and its occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. The border between them has been broken since 1993.

According to experts, despite, Armenia recognized compliance of the
protocols with the Constitution, the country’s parliament will hardly
ratify it.

There is little or no chance that Jan.12 the Armenian Constitutional
Court’s decision and the actions by the Armenian parliament later, will
go against the wishes of the Armenian government and President Serzh
Sargsyan, Director of Armenian Center for National and International
Studies Richard Giragosian believes.

"The Armenian government is committed to adopting the protocols,
but only after or at the same time as Turkey," Giragosian wrote Trend
News in an e-mail.

Ratification of the protocols by the Armenian parliament depends on
Turkey, Turkish MP from the opposition National Movement Party Reshad
Dogru said.

"I do not believe the Armenian parliament to ratify the protocols,
because there are certain milestones that are important for Armenia,"
Dogru told Trend News over the telephone. "Armenia will not easily
accept the milestones such as recognition of the current Turkish
territory and liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani lands."

The expert does not believe in rapid ratification of the protocols
by the Armenian parliament.

Cornell said when carefully observing the recent events, it becomes
clear that there is no political activity in the region.

He said much depends now on the actions of the Turkish Parliament.

"I think that Armenia will wait for Turkish actions in ratification
of the protocols in its Parliament," Cornell said.

Another factor of the development of events concerning the
Armenian-Turkish protocols will influence the position of Armenia,
Russia and the United States, the expert said.

According to the Armenian expert, the status of the protocols has
been stalled or delayed, but with the delay limited to the Turkish
side only.

"The real challenge is limited to the Turkish side and there is
a real danger that if Turkey fails to meet the expectations of
the international community by ratifying the protocols "within a
reasonable timeframe," Turkey may suffer a strategic loss and may
even pay a price for turning back after so much diplomatic capital
has already been extended by all sides," Giragosian added.

R.Hafizoglu contributed to the article.