Public Television of Armenia
Jan 20 2010
Armenian minister urges Turkey to speed up protocols ratification
[Presenter] Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan and Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had a phone conversation today at the
initiative of the Armenian side.
Mr. Nalbandyan expressed his surprise regarding the 18 January
statement of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign affairs on the decision
of the Armenian Constitutional Court [regarding the Armenian-Turkish
protocols]. The minister said that seeing preconditions and
contradictions to the fundamental goal in the Constitutional Court’s
decision (on that the protocols do not contradict the Armenian
Constitution) is at least surprising. The Armenian foreign minister
expressed his concern over the lack of observed progress in the
ratification [of the protocols] in Turkey since October 2009 [when the
protocols were signed]. At the same time the Turkish side continuously
and overtly tries to put forward preconditions; this creates an
impression of searching for artificial excuses and endangers the whole
process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.
While assessing positively the fact that with its 18 January statement
the Turkish side confirmed in public the harm of putting forward
preconditions, the Armenian minister suggested that his Turkish
counterpart stay committed to the language and spirit of the protocols
and to advance quickly. The [Armenian] minister added that the
ratification process takes place in Armenia according to the
determined procedure and without improper delays, which is evidenced
by the [12 January] decision of our Constitutional Court, which came
over a month ahead of the set deadline. The Armenian foreign minister
reaffirmed that according to commitments assumed it is necessary to
pursue immediate ratification and implementation of the protocols
refraining from the practice of putting forward far-fetched pretences
aimed at frustrating the process.
[translated from Armenian]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress