ARMENIA SAYS HOPES TURKEY WILL RATIFY PROTOCOLS AFTER WARNINGS

WorldBulletin.net
Jan 22 2010
Turkey

The two protocols require parliamentary ratification in both countries
before they enter into force.

Armenia said it hopes Turkey will ratify the protocols after Turkish
PM said Armenia attempted to re-write the text of the signed deal.

Erdogan’s comments came after a decision made by the Armenian
Constitutional Court on the signed protocols.

Asked if the process was in danger of collapsing, Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian said:

"If Turkey is not ready to ratify the protocols, if it continues
to speak in the language of preconditions and to block the process,
then I don’t exclude it."

But he added: "I hope Turkey will ratify the documents."

The two protocols require parliamentary ratification in both countries
before they enter into force.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that "Turkey sent
the protocols directly to the Turkish parliament without making any
other institution an intermediary. We have not conducted an operation
on the sentences. We have sent the protocols as they were signed and
showed sincerity".

At the moment, Armenia has attempted to make an operation on the
protocols. Such an attempt must be corrected. Unless a correction is
made, the process would get damaged. We are not in a position to keep
the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia out of this context,
Erdogan stressed.

Turkey and Armenia had no diplomatic ties or economic relations since
Turkey closed its border with Armenia after this country invaded the
Upper-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in 1992, until recently when the
two countries agreed about a month ago on a protocol to establish
relations after months-long Swiss mediated talks.

The two countries signed two protocols recently to normalize relations
which among other things foresees reciprocal opening of borders
between the two countries and mutual recognition of existing borders.