Xinhua, China
Jan 22 2010
Turkey expects Armenian "loyalty" to peace accords
ANKARA Jan. 22
Turkey said Friday it expects Armenia "to be loyal" to the protocols
between the two countries for normalizing relations after an earlier
ruling by the Armenian Constitutional Court on the accords sparked
Ankara’s concerns, Turkish media reported.
"Restrictions on the protocols, attempts to divide them and give
precedence to certain parts over others, does not suit with the
substance and spirit of these protocols," Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted by the semi-official Anatolia news agency
as telling a press conference.
The Armenian court upheld the protocols last week, its ruling referred
to what Yerevan says the "genocide" of 1.5 million Armenians under the
Ottoman rule during the World War I.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday the ruling
was "unacceptable" and could challenge the reconciliations between the
two countries.
Davutoglu said Turkey displayed a strong political will to conclude
the normalization process and expected Armenia to be loyal to the
accords.
He said his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian had reassured him
over the phone that the court’s ruling did not change what Armenia
agreed in the beginning, and added Turkey still expects "more
unequivocal and clear statements (from the Armenian government) on
this issue."
Davutoglu also told reporters he would call the U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton and talk to Switzerland who is mediating the
talks with Armenia to voice Turkey’s concerns.
Turkey and Armenia signed last October historic deals on normalizing
ties and reopening their borders after nearly a century of
hostilities. The agreements need to be ratified by both countries’
parliaments before taking effect.