ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS: SIGNING AND RATIFICATION DIFFERENT PROCEDURES

news.am
April 16 2010
Armenia

In his interview with the TV8 Channel (Turkey) Murad Merican, Chairman
of the Foreign Relations Committee, Turkish Parliament, pointed out
that there no difference if the Armenian-Turkish protocols will remain
in the drawer of his table or will be withdrawn. "I have documents
in my drawer that have been awaiting ratification since 1998,"
Merican said.

Commenting on the verdict retuned by the RA Constitutional Court,
as well as on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem as a precondition to
the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, which aroused
discontent in Turkey, Merican stated that in case of disagreements
the two nations must settle them in conformity with international
law and in this respect the RA Constitutional Court’s verdict is not
of great importance. He stressed that the signing and ratification
of the Armenian-Turkish protocols are independent of each other –
the signing depended on the Governments, whereas the ratification
on the Parliaments. The Turkish Parliament will focus its attention
on the further development of Armenian–Azerbaijan relations, but it
would be wrong to sever relations with Armenia. "Do not let our souls
get filled with enmity. Let us not reject the points beneficial for
Turkey, which are incorporated in the protocols," Merican said.

Commenting on the Opposition’s accusations that the Turkish authorities
are always ready for foreign policy compromises, Merican pointed out
that Ankara has never made any foreign policy concessions.

Turkey has never made any concessions on either Cyprus or the
Armenian-Azerbaijani problems. Nor has it made any concessions on
Turkey’s membership in the European Union, he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress