RA CC RULING IS FINAL AND VALID
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.01.2010 11:26 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The RA Constitutional Court’s ruling on the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols is Armenia’s legal assessment of the
documents, said Ara Papian, head of Modus Vivendi center.
"I agree with Mr. Philip Gordon that the RA CC ruling doesn’t hamper
ratification of the Protocols. The Court resolved that establishment
of diplomatic relations and opening of the border do not conflict
with the Constitution of Republic of Armenia," he said, adding that
the Constitutional Court’s legal reasoning has the same juridical
force as the conclusion.
The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation. On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional
Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to
the country’s Organic Law. Commenting on the decision of the Armenian
Constitutional Court, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said
that "the decision contains preconditions and restrictive provisions
which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols."
"The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these
Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach
cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed
allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence
to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same
allegiance from the Armenian Government," the Ministry said.
Meanwhile, the United States welcomed the ruling by Armenia’s
Constitutional Court, effectively dismissing Turkey’s claims that it
runs counter to the Turkish-Armenian fence-mending agreements. "We
view the court decision as a positive step forward in the ratification
process of the normalization protocols between Turkey and Armenia,"
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon said. "The court
decision permits the protocols, as they were negotiated and signed,
to move forward towards parliamentary ratification, and does not
appear to limit or qualify them in any way."