SERGEY MINASYAN: CC’S VERDICT SHOULD BE VIEWED IN DOMESTIC POLITICAL CONTEXT

news.am
Jan 19 2010
Armenia

The Turkish Foreign Office’s statement that the RA Constitutional
Court’s verdict contains wordings running counter to the bilateral
protocols does not correspond to the facts, Sergey Minasyan, Deputy
Director of the Institute of Caucasus, told NEWS.am.

"The Constitutional Court’s verdict can be viewed in a legal aspect
and in the domestic political context. It is a necessary condition
for the protocols to be submitted to Parliament," Minasyan said.

According to him, a similar situation developed when the Turkish
Government submitted the protocols to the Turkish Parliament. "A
cover letter submitted to the Turkish Parliament indicated facts that
might be interpreted as running counter to the protocols, but Yerevan
interpreted that as the Turkish Government’s attempt to present the
protocols in a favorable light," Minasyan said.

The RA Constitutional Court only confirmed the constitutionality of
the documents, and its verdict allows the Parliament to ratify the
protocols. "On the other hand, we should realize that the Turkish
side will take any opportunity to delay the ratification, if not
frustrate it at all," the expert said.

Minasyan said that official Yerevan can only respond through the
RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which can express hope for further
dialogue. According to him, the Turkish Foreign Office’s statement
is a propaganda one.

"To refuse the ratification Turkey must have much more convincing
arguments. It is clear that the Turkish Foreign Office’s statement
cannot be taken seriously. It can only be viewed as an act of
information to explain to the international community Turkey’s efforts
not to expedite the process," Minasyan said.