WHAT WILL THE FUTURE OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS?

AllVoices
tributed-news/5713997-what-will-the-future-of-arme nianturkish-relations
April 30 2010

The representatives of parliamentary political forces of Armenia
presented their expectations about the prospects for Armenian-Turkish
relations after the decree of RA President to suspend ratification
procedures of the Armenian-Turkish protocol on establishing diplomatic
relations and bilateral relations.

The leader of the opposition Heritage party, Armen Martirosyan said
"the need for signature revocation of Armenia under the protocols,
because these documents in their current form are not subject to
ratification, and any reservations and can be no question." According
to him, the most acceptable are two approaches: either the exchange
of diplomatic notes and the opening of the Turkish border, or the
joint discussion of the whole complex of preconditions and problems
existing in bilateral relations.

The head of the parliamentary faction of the Heritage Stepan Safarian
expressed concern about the processes taking place in the freezing
process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Official
Yerevan must make a clear message to all international organizations
on the inadmissibility of backstage discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict without the participation of the parties to the conflict, as
it did when signing the Treaty of Kars in 1921 with the participation
of Russia and Turkey, "he said. The MP called for the exclusion
of Turkey from the OSCE Minsk Group, as "the authorities of this
country every day in acquiring the new levers to influence the
settlement process that is unacceptable." Safarian said that Ankara
has recently speculated by the provisions of the Treaty of Kars,
seeking to strengthen its regional presence in all directions. Such a
development poses a threat to national security, that must recognize
the Armenian authorities, said the parliamentarian.

The leader of the parliamentary faction "Rule of Law" Aegina
Bisharyan noted the importance of suspension of the ratification of
the protocols, as a manifestation of the Armenian side principled
response to the nomination of Turkey’s preconditions. It supported
the continuation of the positive and beneficial begun the process
of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, which recorded some
progress. According Bisharyan, the suspension of the ratification
process is justified until the day when Turkey recognizes the Armenian
Genocide and understands the importance of normalizing relations with
its neighbors without preconditions.

Secretary of the parliamentary faction ARF Artyush Shahbazian said
that if Turkey did not ratify the protocol, thus confirming their
deaths. Otherwise, if you dare to Ankara to ratify the documents,
the suspension of the ratification procedure of the Armenian side
loses its value as a step against the adoption of these documents.

The Secretary of Parliamentary Faction "Prosperous Armenia" party
Aram Safarian said that the suspension of the ratification procedure
in the Armenian parliament will give Turkey the opportunity to
revise their approaches and discuss the common goal of establishing
relations between the countries of relations without preconditions
and in a sensible period of time. "If Ankara will continue to be
traditionally teeth and uncompromisingly defend the interests of
Azerbaijan, hindering the process of normalizing relations with
Armenia, the protocols do not go back to the plenary agenda of the
Armenian Parliament, because in these conditions a continued dialogue
with Turkey impossible," said the representative of PPA. According
to him, in the case of the ratification of protocols by the Turkish
Parliament with reservation in respect of assignments Armenia in the
Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian Parliament may make appropriate step,
if any, to refuse ratification. Safarian expressed confidence that
the international community has realized that the driving force
suspension of the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations are
not from Yerevan, and this should be perceived as the success of
Armenian politics.

A member of the parliamentary faction of the Republican Party of
Armenia Artak Zakarian expressed confidence that the provisions of the
protocols signed in Zurich in no way contain any undesirable elements,
neutralized Armenian politics in the willingness to normalize relations
without preconditions. "Put forward by the Turkish side constraints
have made the tension in the process of normalization of bilateral
relations, which led to a presidential decree," said Zakarian. He
said the resumption of the process depends on the steps of Turkey, in
particular, on the ratification of protocols by the Turkish Parliament,
which is affected by many factors, first of all, the real interest
of Ankara.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress