D. PHILIPS SAYS COURT’S DECISION A NECESSARY AND POSITIVE STEP TOWARD RATIFICATION

Panorama.am
17:58 03/02/2010

The Protocols represent a bilateral agreement between Turkey and
Armenia. There is no linkage to Nagorno Karabakh, American expert,
visiting scholar of Columbia University, David Phillips told Day.az.

It was widely perceived last year that Turkey was heralding its signing
of the protocols to effect international recognition of the Armenian
genocide. I don’t think anyone will be interested in that happening
again, the expert highlighted.

Philips said that only opponents of the Protocols have identified
differences between the Constitutional Court’s decision and the text.

"Even those perceived differences are not significant overall. The
United States joined with others in hailing the Court’s decision as
a necessary and positive step toward ratification."

Inaction has already been damaging and will ultimately undermine the
historic opportunity represented by the Protocols, the expert stated.

Referring to Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, Philips signified that both
sides continue to meet at a high level and work sincerely towards
resolution.