ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PROTESTS PROTOCOLS WITH TURKEY
Interfax
Sept 22 2009
Russia
The Armenian opposition does not think that Turkey will ratify the
protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia,
or open the Armenian-Turkish border.
"Turkey will not ratify the protocols. Nor will it open the border
with Armenia until the Nagorno Karabakh conflict has been settled,"
leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress, Ex-President
Levon Ter-Petrosian said at a rally in Yerevan on Friday.
Armenia’s role in Armenian-Turkish reconciliation has been reduced
to that of a passive onlooker, because "a disadvantageous solution
of the Karabakh conflict has been forced on Armenia," he said.
"By signing the protocols on August 31 President Serzh Sargsyan cast
doubts on the fact of genocide of Armenians. Turkey has deceived him,
because it has not delivered on its promise to open the border after
the Armenian-Turkish roadmap was signed on April 22," he also said.
The outcome of the Karabakh conflict is pre-determined, he said.
"The latest statements by the Russian, U.S. and French presidents
indicate that the Karabakh settlement is in its final stage. They have
decided on the outcome of the conflict, and neither the Armenian nor
Azeri president will argue with them," Ter-Petrosian said.
Change of government would be a way-out of the current unfavorable
situation, he said.
"The change of government is possible either as a result of Serzh
Sargsyan’s resignation, or his impeachment, resulting from a national
wave of protest," the ex-president said.
Ter-Petrosian said he would not run for president if Sargsyan
resigns, if, of course ex-President Robert Kocharian does not bid
for presidency.
The opposition rally according to organizers, brought together some
5,000 people. The protestors are marching along the central streets
in Yerevan now.
Meanwhile, a hunger strike, started by representatives of the Armenian
revolutionary federation Dashnaktsutyun in the center of Yerevan to
protest the Armenian-Turkish protocols, is in its second day.