14 POLITICAL FORCES DEMAND WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIA’S SIGNATURE FROM ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS
news.am
April 22 2010
Armenia
Representatives of fourteen political forces of Armenia and of public
organizations, protesting against the Armenian-Turkish protocols,
held a meeting in Yerevan to exchange views on the Armenian-Turkish
process and present their plans to struggle against the protocols.
The meeting approved a statement, saying: "The Armenian-Turkish
protocols, which are in Ankara’s interests, became an obstacle to the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide." According to the
statement, the process resulted in greater international pressure on
Yerevan in the context of relations with Ankara and Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process. "The Armenian-Turkish process enhanced Ankara’s
international reputation and enabled Baku to make more frequent
bellicose statements." The authors of the statement stress that the
main aim of their struggle is to get official Yerevan to withdraw
its signature from the Armenian-Turkish protocols or ratify the
documents without any preconditions. Specifically, in ratifying the
documents the Armenian side must stress that the provisions exclusively
apply to the two nations, and can by no means apply to a third one,
particularly Nagorno-Karabakh.
The authors of the statement insist that official Yerevan clearly
stated that the approval of the protocols can by no means make the
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey a subject for discussions. The
Armenian side must also show that the Armenian-Turkish border must
be established under a special international treaty. The protocols
must contain a provision granting Armenia the right to withdraw from
the process if Turkey refuses to honor the reservations. The authors
of the statement also demand that the RA Parliament adopt a law that
would provide criminal punishment for denying the Armenian Genocide.
The participants in the meeting state they will continue their
struggle against the Armenian-Turkish protocols within the Armenian
law and Constitution.
NEWS.am reminds readers that 250,000 Armenians citizens have been
involved in a signature-gathering campaign against the Armenian-Turkish
protocols. A year ago a road map was published, which later served
as a basis for the Armenian-Turkish protocols.