ARMENIAN PUBLIC CAUGHT OFF-GUARD BY LATEST MOVE

Hurriyet
April 23 2010
Turkey

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian’s statement that the government
has frozen all protocols signed with Turkey hit headlines in Armenia
on Friday, as Yerevan-based news outlets looked to Turkey to assess
the extent of the damage.

Turkish media broke the story Thursday afternoon, while Yerevan waited
until the evening for a confirmation from the government. At 7:30 p.m.

local time in Armenia, Sarkisian delivered a statement broadcast live
on TV and radio, stressing that the protocols were not "suspended"
but "withdrawn."

The news came as a shock for many Armenians, who were also caught
off guard exactly one year ago when Turkey and Armenia announced to
the world they had reached a consensus on normalizing relations.

The Armenian opposition, mostly the Dashnak Party, which bashed the
Sarkisian administration last year due to the protocol, has endorsed
a mellow attitude this time.

"It was a mistake to sign the protocols in the first place," Siranuys
Papayan, an academic, told the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review
on the streets of the Armenian capital. "Turkey tried to make a good
image of itself by signing these protocols in an attempt to show to
the international community that it wishes for good relations with
its neighbors. [But] Turkey was imposing preconditions on us, namely
giving up on the Karabakh and the genocide issues."

Papayan also criticized the Sarkisian government. "Why did they sign
them in the first place and why are they withdrawing now?"

"The public had always been against the protocols," said an Armenian,
declining to give his name. "Sarkisian came to power through
treachery. They had to do something to throw dust into people’s eyes
and that is why they started negotiations with Turkey. But it did
not turn out the way they had expected. The government is responsible
for what has happened."

An architect, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the
course of events were important not only for Turkey and Armenia,
but also for the entire region. "We must bear in mind that the U.S.,
the EU and Russia have their own interests in the region. They would
not like the process to be suspended. The process could gain a new
dimension in the days ahead."

Speaking at the Yerevan State University, an 18-year-old student said
it was long foreseen that the process was "doomed."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress