POLITICAL ANALYST: TURKEY UNLIKELY TO RATIFY ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS BEFORE APRIL 24
/ARKA/
April 14, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, April 14. /ARKA/. Turkey will do nothing to ratify
Armenian-Turkish protocols before April 24, Artak Shakaryan, political
analyst, said Wednesday in Novosti International Press Center.
April 24 is the Day of Commemoration of Armenian Genocide Victims.
"After April 24, a zero situation may be created, just as in 2009,"
he said.
On October 10, Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers – Edward
Nalbandyan and Ahmet Davutoglu – signed the protocols on establishment
of diplomatic ties between the two countries and development of
bilateral relations.
The protocols will be sent to the two countries’ parliaments for
ratification. After ratification the countries will be able to open
their border.
"This year, after April 24, will be a lull," Shakaryan said.
He thinks nothing will happen, if Armenia doesn’t try to spur
negotiations again.
Armenia, being a proactive side, will try to retain the improvement
of its relations with Turkey on the agenda.
Asked whether Armenia could withdraw its signature from the protocols,
Shakaryan said it was possible theoretically.
"It depends on what did decide Armenian and U.S. presidents – Serzh
Sargsyan and Barack Obama – at their meeting."
On April 12, Serzh Sargsyan met with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan in Washington.
The Armenian president flew to Washington to attend the Nuclear
Security Summit.
On Tuesday, Turkish media outlets quoted the Turkish prime minister
as saying that Armenian-Turkish protocols couldn’t be ratified by
Turkish Parliament because of adverse political atmosphere.
Relations between Armenia and Turkey remain tense because of
Ankara’s biased stance on Karabakh problem and its painful reaction
to Armenia’s efforts to obtain worldwide recognition of the fact of
Armenian Genocide.