PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS CONCERNED OVER THE ONCOMING SARGSYAN-ERDOGAN MEETING

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 9, 2010 – 16:16 AMT 11:16 GMT

International nuclear security summit is scheduled for April 12-13
in Washington, with a meeting planned between Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in
the course of the summit.

There’s noting unexpected about Serzh Sargsyan’s agreeing to meet the
Turkish Premier in Washington, Heritage parliamentary group leader
Stepan Safaryan said.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, "Armenia can’t withdraw from
reconciliation as it’s not the only participant of rapprochement
process. Any steps in this direction could entail negative
consequences."

"Still, despite possible attempts to present the meeting as a step
towards reconciliation, Armenia-Turkey Protocols ratification process
has already exhausted itself," Stepan Safaryan emphasized.

Orinats Yerkir parliamentary group leader Heghine Bisharyan, however,
characterized the oncoming meeting as a signal of readiness to ratify
protocols without preconditions.

"Armenian leader’s agreement to meet Prime Minister Erdogan proves that
RA government’s initiative policy is open to consider any solutions
proposed," ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group leader Artsvik
Minasyan stated.

"Turkey will attempt to push forward the rapprochement process,
as well as Karabakh issue, aiming to work on fulfillment of its
precondition on Karabakh settlement," he emphasized.

RPA parliamentary group leader Galust Sahakan stressed that RA
President’s meeting with Turkish Prime Minister enables Turkey to
demonstrate its interest in proceeding with reconciliation.

Still, as he noted, reasonable time -frames, stipulated for
Armenia-Turkey ratification have long been expired, so even now,
Armenia is ready to withdraw its signature. "Armenia, however, has
to pick a favorable time to do so," he concluded.