Vardan Khachatryan: Border Opening Will Increase Turkey’s Influence

VARDAN KHACHATRYAN: BORDER OPENING WILL INCREASE TURKEY’S INFLUENCE ON ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.09.2009 17:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s pressure will bring Armenian authorities
face to face with new challenges, and the greatest disadvantage is
that not all forces represented in Armenia’s political domains are
involved in the process, MP Vardan Khachatryan told a press conference
in Yerevan. He did not rule out possibility of Armenian political
forces’ being unaware of agreements between parties.

"Turkey will seriously benefit by those Protocols. One of its principal
achievements will be the possibility of being involved in Karabakh
settlement process," Vardan Khachatryan said, adding that such step
will make Turkey a serious stakeholder in the region.

Opening of Armenian-Turkish border will increase Turkey’s influence
on Armenia, parliamentarian finds. "It is necessary to realize that
any provocation may lead to closing of Armenian-Turkish border,"
he stressed.

He also commented upon ARFD’s protest against Protocols, saying
that such actions should awaken vigilance in Armenian society. "The
protest should warn Armenian people of dangers related to signing
Armenian-Turkish Protocols," NA parliamentarian said.

On September 15, ARFD Dashnaktsutyun started a rally and hunger
strike near Foreign Ministry and Government buildings as sign of
protest against Protocols on Normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations. Protesters were holding posters which read, "No
Preconditions!", "No Acceptance, No Concessions, Protest!". There
was also a stand containing ARFD’s demands proposed to be included
in Armenian-Turkish Protocols.

Initially 24 individuals, including ARFD’s youth wing representatives
and Supreme Body members were reported on hunger strike.