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DISCUSSION OF PROTOCOLS IN TURKISH PARLIAMENT TO UP POLITICAL TENSIONS IN ARMENIA: EXPERT
Trend News Agency
Oct 21 2009
Azerbaijan
The process now moves from the protocols to the parliaments of Turkey
and Armenia, the real test for further developments or tension in
Armenian politics will be from the Turkish side, Director of the
Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS)
Richard Giragosian said.
"In other words, the course of the protocols through the Turkish
parliament, combined with strong statements from Turkish fficials
designed to reassure Azerbaijan, will clearly "raise the stakes"
and increase the political tension within Armenia," Giragosian wrote
Trend News in an e-mail.
The Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davudoglu said at a news conference
that the country's parliament will have the last word on ratification
of the Ankara-Yerevan protocols, CNN Turk reported.
"The country's Parliament will decide whether to ratify the
Ankara-Yerevan protocols," Davudoglu said.
The Turkish parliament will hold discussions on the protocols on
Oct.21.
Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocol in Zurich on Oct. 10.
According to Giragosian, although the opposition within Armenia has
already initiated a campaign of pressure and political posturing aimed
at influencing the government's opening to Turkey, the only way that
the country's opposition can truly exert effective leverage is if
Turkey fails to fulfill the terms of the protocols.
"In this context, the Armenian government seems to be increasingly
politically susceptible to criticism and may become more vulnerable
to political pressure if the bid for normalizing relations with Turkey
fails," the expert added.
If the protocols fail to pass the Turkish parliament, the Armenian
government may be roundly criticized and condemned for naively pursuing
an "irresponsible policy."
That would not only bolster the critics of the entire process, but
would also make any "second" attempt at normalization even that much
harder, Giragosian believes.
"This is an opportunity for Turkey to miss, affirming that the real
burden is now on Turkey alone," Giragosian added.
Trend News Agency
Oct 21 2009
Azerbaijan
The process now moves from the protocols to the parliaments of Turkey
and Armenia, the real test for further developments or tension in
Armenian politics will be from the Turkish side, Director of the
Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS)
Richard Giragosian said.
"In other words, the course of the protocols through the Turkish
parliament, combined with strong statements from Turkish fficials
designed to reassure Azerbaijan, will clearly "raise the stakes"
and increase the political tension within Armenia," Giragosian wrote
Trend News in an e-mail.
The Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davudoglu said at a news conference
that the country's parliament will have the last word on ratification
of the Ankara-Yerevan protocols, CNN Turk reported.
"The country's Parliament will decide whether to ratify the
Ankara-Yerevan protocols," Davudoglu said.
The Turkish parliament will hold discussions on the protocols on
Oct.21.
Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocol in Zurich on Oct. 10.
According to Giragosian, although the opposition within Armenia has
already initiated a campaign of pressure and political posturing aimed
at influencing the government's opening to Turkey, the only way that
the country's opposition can truly exert effective leverage is if
Turkey fails to fulfill the terms of the protocols.
"In this context, the Armenian government seems to be increasingly
politically susceptible to criticism and may become more vulnerable
to political pressure if the bid for normalizing relations with Turkey
fails," the expert added.
If the protocols fail to pass the Turkish parliament, the Armenian
government may be roundly criticized and condemned for naively pursuing
an "irresponsible policy."
That would not only bolster the critics of the entire process, but
would also make any "second" attempt at normalization even that much
harder, Giragosian believes.
"This is an opportunity for Turkey to miss, affirming that the real
burden is now on Turkey alone," Giragosian added.