APRIL 24: NOT THE FINAL TERM FOR ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2010 13:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia strikes me as a country which failed to
learn lessons form the past; Armenia-Turkey rapprochement process
is an obvious example of it, said the head of Analytical Center
for Globalization and Regional Collaboration, politologist Stepan
Grigoryan.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, Armenian Genocide issue was
repeatedly turned into a subject of gambling. "The process on Armenian
Genocide resolution launched in US Congress is being politicized and
linked with Armenia-Turkey protocols. The situation is pregnant with
serious consequences for Armenia, specifically, increased US pressure
on Ankara, followed by strengthening of Turkey-Russia alliance,"
the politologist said, adding that Armenia doesn’t need recognition
of Genocide through blackmail.

As a way out of situation, Stepan Grigoryan suggested for Armenia to
directly resolve problems with Turkey, without mediators’ help, trying
to separate establishment of diplomatic relations from rapprochement
process, as well as ratify Protocols without waiting for Turkish
parliament to act first.

According to the politologist, Ankara’s failing to ratify Protocols
until April 24 is unlikely to bring rapprochement process against a
standstill. "I expect some delays in Protocols ratification, but still
believe they will eventually be ratified. April 24 is not the final
term for Armenia-Turkey rapprochement," Stepan Grigoryan emphasized.

He didn’t rule out US President’s using the term Genocide this year
in his annual address to American Armenian community, at the same time
noting that US Administration wouldn’t have hampered passage of H.Res.

252 in Congress in case it indented to recognize it.

With a vote of 23 to 22, the House Foreign Relations Committee
successfully passed House Resolution 252 (H. Res. 252) pushing the
Resolution in Congress for a final vote yet to be scheduled.

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.