TURKISH OFFICIAL SAYS ARMENIA COURT RULING HARMS PROTOCOLS

Jan 21 2010
Turkey

The Constitutional Court’s decision has hurt the process, Mercan said.

Chairman of the Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee,
Murat Mercan, said Thursday Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision
on the protocols signed by Turkey and Armenia was against the spirit
of the protocols.

Speaking to reporters, Mercan reminded that Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu told his Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandian
that the Armenian government should clarify the decision of the
Constitutional Court and display the necessary political will.

The decision of the Armenian Constitutional Court was against the
spirit of the protocols. The Constitutional Court’s decision has hurt
the process, Mercan stressed.

We will make a decision on the matter once legal experts of the
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs complete their works, Mercan said.

As the representative of Turkey and the Turkish people, I want to
mention that our committee will take into consideration the sensitivity
of the Azerbaijani people while approving the protocols.

We are carefully watching the developments, Mercan noted.

Asked if the protocols would be withdrawn from the Turkish parliament,
Mercan said that there was no practical difference between holding
the protocols at the Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee
and the Turkish government’s withdrawal of the protocols.

It is up to the Turkish government. The government will make a
decision, Mercan also said.