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Sarkisian Confirms Turkey Trip, Again Warns Ankara

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  • Sarkisian Confirms Turkey Trip, Again Warns Ankara

    SARKISIAN CONFIRMS TURKEY TRIP, AGAIN WARNS ANKARA

    http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/18 49587.html
    12.10.2009

    Armenia's President Serzh Sarkisian announced on Monday his decision
    to visit Turkey this week to attend a football match between the
    two neighbors, while questioning Ankara's commitment to honor the
    fence-mending agreements with Yerevan. (UPDATED)

    Sarkisian suggested that Turkish leaders' weekend statements linking
    the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations with a settlement
    of the Nagorno-Karabakh were "primarily addressed to the Azerbaijani
    audience."

    "Otherwise, it would seem strange to me: if the Turks are not going
    to ratify the protocols, then why did they sign them [in Zurich on
    Saturday] in the first place?" he told journalists. "Maybe they thought
    that we might not display sufficient will and take a step back. Maybe."

    "In any case, the ball is in the Turkish court today, and we have
    enough patience to await further developments," said Sarkisian. "If
    the Turks ratify the protocols, if they stick to the agreed timetable,
    we will continue the process. If not, we will not be bound by anything
    and will do what we have announced."

    In a televised address to the nation on Saturday, Sarkisian likewise
    implicitly threatened to walk away from the controversial agreements,
    which have put him at odds with nationalist groups in Armenia and
    its influential Diaspora, if Ankara fails to implement them "within
    a reasonable timeframe." Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
    stated on Sunday that the establishment of diplomatic relations and
    reopening of the border between the two states hinges on a breakthrough
    in the Karabakh peace process.

    Galust Sahakian, the parliamentary leader of Sarkisian's Republican
    Party (HHK), indicated on Monday that Armenia's National Assembly
    will start debating the protocols only after they are approved by the
    Turkish parliament. "If Turkey makes any reservations, our parliament
    will not even include [the issue] on its agenda," said Sahakian.

    Both the HHK and Erdogan's Justice and Development Party have a solid
    majority in their respective legislatures.

    Sarkisian also made clear that he has accepted his Turkish counterpart
    Abdullah Gul's invitation to watch with him the return match of
    Armenia's and Turkey's national soccer teams that will be played in
    the western Turkish city of Bursa on Wednesday. The Armenian leader
    said earlier that he will visit Turkey it only if Ankara takes "real
    steps" to normalize bilateral ties.

    Sarkisian said on Monday that "sufficient prerequisites" are now
    in place for the landmark trip. "Turkey's president, Mr. Gul, had
    responded to my invitation and come to Armenia [in September 2008,]
    and I now see no serious basis not to accept his invitation," he
    said. "My counterpart has sent a written invitation, and unless
    something extraordinary happens in the next two days, I will go to
    Bursa and cheer for my favorite team."

    The president answered journalists' questions at Yerevan's Zvartnots
    as he prepared to fly to Moscow for what his office described as a
    brief working visit. Shortly before his departure, Sarkisian sent
    a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama thanking Washington for its
    active role in the Turkish-Armenian dialogue.

    "I am convinced that without the decisive help of the United States
    it would have been impossible to make effective efforts in this
    direction," he said after "warmly" congratulating Obama on winning
    the Nobel Peace Prize.

    Meanwhile, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said later on
    Monday that the Erdogan government will send the protocols to the
    Turkish parliament "next week." "The assembly will decide whether
    to approve or reject them," Cicek told reporters after a cabinet
    meeting. But he underlined that the "parliament will undoubtedly
    follow developments in Armenia during this process."

    According to the AFP news agency, Cicek described the pacts as a
    "sincere and serious show of will" by Turkey. But he reiterated that
    lasting peace in the region also depends on the resolution of the
    Karabakh dispute.
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