AZERBAIJANI EXPERT: ARMENIA TRIES TO RATIFY PROTOCOLS IN A VERSION DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE TURKEY SIGNED IN ZURICH
Z. Ahmadov
Today
2418.html
Feb 24 2010
Azerbaijan
Armenia wants to ratify the Turkey-Armenia Protocols in a form
different from the version that Turkey signed in Zurich, Azerbaijani
political expert Fikrat Sadigov said.
"Armenia faces deep internal political and economic crisis. So,
there is no doubt that it is interested in ratifying the protocols
and opening border with Turkey. Thus, Yerevan wants to find a way
out of impasse," the expert said.
"As for the protocols, it should be noted that they have undergone
significant changes after Armenian Constitutional Court adopted
them with reservations. Thus, Yerevan smoothed discontent of the
Armenian diaspora and some parties about the Protocols. On the other
hand, Armenia is not going to abandon its claims for international
recognition of "Armenian Genocide" although the Zurich agreements
clearly state historians of both countries as well as other
international experts will deal with interpretation of this issue."
"Indeed, Armenia has neglected all the principles and spirit of the
protocols, and plans to ratify the version of these accords which
Turkey has not signed. This reveals essence of Armenia’s policies. I
believe that the Armenian parliament’s ratifying the protocols in this
form will not have legal consequences for Turkey since Armenia itself
disavowed the agreements signed by President and Foreign Minister
with the same reservations," the political expert added.
As to possible impact of ratification of the Turkey-Armenia protocols
by the Armenian Parliament, Sadigov said "discussions over the Zurich
protocols in the Armenian parliament in advance of the "Armenian
genocide" debates in the U.S. Congress are not accidental."
"Circumstances for Armenia have developed fairly well in this respect.
Unfortunately, fact of ratification of the Zurich protocols is more
important for the Western countries than in what form they will be
adopted. Therefore, Turkey must move from rhetoric to making it clear
for the foreign partners that the document which they want Armenia
to endorse, in fact, is not the one signed in Zurich."
"By ratifying the Zurich protocols with reservations Armenia wants to
show its good intentions and its "peaceful" policies. This reflects
all the deceit inherent in Armenia’s diplomacy. But I think that
this policy will not bring dividends, since these accords must
also be approved by Turkey so that they will take force. Thus,
the Armenian-Turkish protocols will remain mere scraps of paper,"
the expert noted.