Erdogan: Turkey and Armenia appear to have got off to unhealthy start
31.01.2010 16:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ We appear to have got off to an unhealthy start,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview to
Euronews TV channel.

`Well, we appear to have got off to an unhealthy start. What are we
negotiating about? What are we going to do? Armenia should once again
take this into consideration, because we fulfilled our protocol
commitments,’ he stressed.

Yet, despite the above, the Premier emphasized Turkey’s readiness to
continue with the process. `Both sides have road maps. The process
will continue. We are fully prepared and sincere, and will proceed in
the same way as we have so far,’ he concluded.

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.