Threat of Collapse Looms Over Turkey-Armenia Deal
Asbarez
Jan 22nd, 2010

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)-The internationally backed efforts to
normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey could end in failure
soon, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said on Friday, accusing
Ankara of obstructing the process with preconditions and `artificial’
claims.

`If Turkey is not ready to ratify the [Turkish-Armenian] protocols, if
it continues, as it has until now, to speak in the language of
preconditions, make some linkages and obstruct progress in this
process, then of course I don’t exclude it,’ Nalbandian told a news
conference.

But he added: `Nobody can say for certain that a particular process
will end in one or another way. Generally speaking, I don’t like
making that kind of predictions.’

Turkish leaders said this week that Armenia itself set preconditions
for normalizing bilateral relations with an interpretation of the
protocols that was made by its Constitutional Court this month. They
specifically referred to the court’s view that the protocols can have
no legal implications for the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process or stop
Yerevan from seeking greater international recognition of the Armenian
genocide. Ankara claims this runs counter to the letter and spirit of
the documents signed in October.

Nalbandian dismissed the Turkish claims as `nonsense.’ `To say that
Armenia is dragging out the ratification process is also nonsense,’ he
said. `We hope that the Turks will not try to cite artificial excuses
for not ratifying these protocols.’ The Armenian side remains
committed to their speedy and unconditional implementation, he added.

`Guided by the initiative of the President of the Republic of Armenia
to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions, intensive
talks were held with the Turkish side and protocols on normalization
of the Armenian-Turkish relations were signed in Zurich on October10,’
Nalbandian said.

Nalbandian passed a similar message to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu in a phone conversation on Wednesday. Davutoglu described as
`totally baseless’ his claims that Ankara has thwarted any progress
towards the protocols’ endorsement by the Turkish parliament.

Speaking at a news conference in Ankara on Friday, Davutoglu insisted
that the Armenian court ruling `is against the letter and spirit of
the protocols.’ `Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian told me
in a telephone conversation that the ruling did not affect previously
agreed points in the protocols. But we expect a clearer picture,
explanation over this,’ he said, according to AFP news agency.

President Serzh Sarkisian said last month that Armenia will walk away
from the deal if the Turks fail to validate it `within a reasonable
timeframe.’ But neither he, nor other Armenian officials have set more
precise deadlines for Turkish ratification yet.

In Nalbandian’s words, Yerevan is confident that the international
community would blame Turkey, rather than Armenia, for the possible
collapse of the process.

`Today Armenia appears to the world as a predictable and reliable
partner, whose approaches are comprehended and appreciated,’
Nalbandian said, adding that key international players and centers of
power respect Armenia for its `proven reliability on both regional and
international levels.’

To bolster his position, Nablandian said his Ministry took big steps
in 2009 to deepen and reinforce Armenia’s cooperation with partner
countries. `Armenia followed its policy of European integration both
in bilateral format and within the framework of European structures.
Our country jointed the EU Eastern Partnership Program,’ Nalbandian
said.

`Armenia also played an active role in the Collective Security Treaty
Organization, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and the
Eurasian Economic Community,’ he said. `Our country was consistent in
implementing the Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO and
expanded its participation in international peacekeeping activity.’

`A number of reciprocal visits, political consultations, meetings and
other events took place last year; about 100 international agreements
were concluded. The Armenian President made 22 foreign visits and the
presidents of eight countries visited Armenia,’ he added.

According to the Foreign Minister, the diplomatic activism of his
ministry has `created favorable conditions for the development of the
republic, presented Armenia’s positions on the international arena,
raised the effectiveness of the defense of rights of the Republic and
its citizens abroad, and deepened Armenia’s involvement in
international organizations and processes.’

Nalbandian said he believed that these steps have gained greater
support for Armenia’s position in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. `For
the first time, the right of peoples to self-determination was
mentioned in the statement of the OSCE Ministerial as an indispensable
principle of settlement, a number of international documents stressed
the importance of the principle of non-use of force or threat of
force,’ he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress