EAAC CALLS ON KEY EUROPEAN ACTORS TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
11.02.2010 15:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Europe-Armenia Advisory Council issued an open
letter, published in the European media, to call on key European
actors to be more involved in the rapprochement between Armenia and
Turkey. The process risks to be marred by attempts to put preconditions
to ratification of the Armenia-Turkey protocols by tandem of Turkish
and Azerbaijani leadership, the European Friends of Armenia, EuFoA,
told PanARMENIAN.Net.
In the open letter, the Europe-Armenia Advisory Council states that
it "calls upon all EU Institutions to intervene with all possible
instruments, including a high-level visit to the region, in order
to urge both sides to ratify the protocols without preconditions and
within a reasonable timeframe, which should not exceed two months".
The full text of the open letter to the President of the European
Parliament Jerzy Buzek, The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs,
Baroness Ashton, The Chair of the EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee,
Gabriele Albertini, The EU Special Representative for the South
Caucasus, Peter Semneby, and the Chair of the EP’s South Caucasus
Delegation, Milan Cabrnoch, reads:
"As you are aware, relations between Turkey and Armenia are currently
facing a historic turning point that will deeply affect the future
diplomatic and strategic balances of the South Caucasus region. We
believe that the signing of the protocols on the establishment of
diplomatic relations and on the development of bilateral relations on
10 October 2009 is a truly historic process which will transform the
enmity logic between the two countries and contribute to the security
of the entire region.
However, to our deepest regret, it seems that the rapprochement is
being hampered by a lack of political commitment and a clear attempt
to distort the protocols’ core principles.
Concerned about this recent development, the Europe-Armenia Advisory
Council has issued the following declaration: "The Europe-Armenia
Advisory Council, reaffirming that Turkey and Armenia need to continue
the ratification of the signed protocols without setting preconditions,
since these would only impede the first attempt to find a diplomatic
solution for the longest standing dispute in the South Caucasus;
expressing concern over the possible stalemate of the process
and fearing that the window of opportunity to settle this issue
diplomatically might soon be lost for many years; reaffirming that
the EU, as a now better-equipped international actor and advocate
for effective multilateralism and in the light of its strong link
with the parties involved, is the best-positioned honest-broker and
guarantor for the ongoing process;
1. calls upon all EU Institutions to intervene with all possible
instruments, including a high-level visit to the region, in order
to urge both sides to ratify the protocols without preconditions and
within a reasonable timeframe, which should not exceed two months;
2. encourages all regional actors to contribute constructively to
the ongoing process and especially invites Azerbaijan to join these
efforts;
3. notes the statement of the US State Department welcoming the
Armenian Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Armenia-Turkey protocols
and calls upon all relevant European institutions to issue a similar
statement, underlining that this court ruling freed the way for the
protocols’ ratification in Armenia and must not be misused by any
party as a pretext to derail the ratification process;
4. calls upon the Armenian government and the Armenian Diaspora around
the world to resist the Turkish government’s new attempt to link the
ratification of the protocols to the international recognition of
the Armenian genocide;
5. reminds all parties involved not to turn to populism during the
historic process of re-establishing ties between Turkey and Armenia."
It is our firm belief that by participating in a strong manner in the
process, the European Union can seize a great opportunity to score
one more success in conflict settlement and the stabilisation of the
region. With the assurance of our highest considerations we remain
Respectfully yours, The Europe-Armenia Advisory Council Members Mr
Kornel ALMASSY, MP (Hungary) Mr Ioannis KASOULIDES, MEP (Cyprus) Dr
Bernard COULIE (Belgium) Ms Katja PLATE (Germany) Ms Alexandra DOBOLYI
(Hungary) Mr Francois ROELANTS DU VIVIER (Belgium) Mr Frank ENGEL,
MEP (Luxembourg) Mr Valery SAFARIAN (Belgium) Bishop Joseph HOMEYER
(Germany) Dr Charles TANNOCK, MEP (United Kingdom) Ms Marie Anne
ISLER BEGUIN (France)"
The Europe-Armenia Advisory Council is a distinctive body created by
EuFoA () to promote relations between Europe and Armenia.
Composed of leading European representatives from the political,
business and cultural spheres from across Europe, it provides guidance
on all major issues in these fields.
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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
