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TURKEY LAUNCHES DOMESTIC DISCUSSIONS ON ARMENIA TIES
AzerNews Weekly
Sept 15 2009
Azerbaijan
The Turkish government on Friday began domestic consultations on the
agreements recently reached with Armenia on normalizing ties.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held the first such meeting with the
country`s parliament speaker, Mehmet Ali Sahin. The discussions were
sealed off to the press.
Davutoglu said this meeting formally launches political consultations
on the protocols agreed with Armenia.
"Whatever step is taken in foreign policy, parliament is the venue
for adding a legal shape to it. For this reason, I held my first
meeting with the parliament speaker," he told reporters.
Ankara and Yerevan agreed on August 31 to begin discussions on forging
diplomatic ties and developing bilateral relations. The two countries
announced they would complete domestic consultations over the two
protocols within six weeks. The documents ultimately seek to open
the Turkish-Armenian border, which has been shut since 1993 due to
Armenia`s policy of occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian
claims of genocide committed by Ottoman Turks during World War I.
Davutoglu said he would comprehensively discuss Ankara`s policy on
its relations with Yerevan with the leaders of all parties that have
factions in the legislature and have gained over one percent of votes
in elections.
The People`s Republic Party, Turkey`s main opposition bloc,
has welcomed the suggestion to hold a meeting with the foreign
minister. The minister and the party`s chairman, Deniz Baykal, met
on Tuesday.
However, another major opposition party, the Nationalist Movement
Party, has rejected the proposal to meet with Davutoglu.
The two parties are vehemently opposed to parliamentary approval of the
protocols with Armenia, saying the documents run counter to Turkey`s
national interests and those of Azerbaijan, the country`s ally.
Davutoglu intends to complete discussions with party leaders by the
end of September, before the UN General Assembly session and the fall
session of the Turkish parliament.
The Turkish minister said his country was seeking to maintain good
relations with all regional states. He noted, however, that Armenia
should take certain steps to allow Turkey to convince the opposition
that forging diplomatic ties with Yerevan is appropriate.
"If Armenia wants the border to open as soon as possible, it should
take certain steps, particularly with regard to the Garabagh problem,"
said Davutoglu.
He emphasized that "the government`s mission will end with the
passage of the six-week period, and the fate of these protocols will
be decided in parliament."
Under the agreement reached, the protocols to be signed will go
into effect after their ratification at the Turkish and Armenian
parliaments, while the border is expected to open two months the
protocols are signed.
Protests Activists of Armenia`s nationalist Dashnaksutyun Party
launched a hunger strike outside the government building and the
Foreign Ministry on Tuesday to protest the agreements with Turkey,
the party said. Dashnaksutyun also intends to begin a signature
collection campaign.
It said in a statement that its representatives will demand to redraft
the protocols, which they consider a threat to Armenian interests.
The Armenian National Congress, led by opposition leader, former
president Levon Ter-Petrosian, is opposed to the border opening. Levon
Zurabyan, the organization`s coordinator, has told a news conference
that the opposition was toughening its stance toward Turkey and
launching protests. Zurabyan said Armenia`s authorities are making
"degrading concessions" to Ankara, hinting at the planned establishment
of an intergovernmental commission of historians, which the opposition
says questions the alleged genocide of Armenians.
AzerNews Weekly
Sept 15 2009
Azerbaijan
The Turkish government on Friday began domestic consultations on the
agreements recently reached with Armenia on normalizing ties.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held the first such meeting with the
country`s parliament speaker, Mehmet Ali Sahin. The discussions were
sealed off to the press.
Davutoglu said this meeting formally launches political consultations
on the protocols agreed with Armenia.
"Whatever step is taken in foreign policy, parliament is the venue
for adding a legal shape to it. For this reason, I held my first
meeting with the parliament speaker," he told reporters.
Ankara and Yerevan agreed on August 31 to begin discussions on forging
diplomatic ties and developing bilateral relations. The two countries
announced they would complete domestic consultations over the two
protocols within six weeks. The documents ultimately seek to open
the Turkish-Armenian border, which has been shut since 1993 due to
Armenia`s policy of occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian
claims of genocide committed by Ottoman Turks during World War I.
Davutoglu said he would comprehensively discuss Ankara`s policy on
its relations with Yerevan with the leaders of all parties that have
factions in the legislature and have gained over one percent of votes
in elections.
The People`s Republic Party, Turkey`s main opposition bloc,
has welcomed the suggestion to hold a meeting with the foreign
minister. The minister and the party`s chairman, Deniz Baykal, met
on Tuesday.
However, another major opposition party, the Nationalist Movement
Party, has rejected the proposal to meet with Davutoglu.
The two parties are vehemently opposed to parliamentary approval of the
protocols with Armenia, saying the documents run counter to Turkey`s
national interests and those of Azerbaijan, the country`s ally.
Davutoglu intends to complete discussions with party leaders by the
end of September, before the UN General Assembly session and the fall
session of the Turkish parliament.
The Turkish minister said his country was seeking to maintain good
relations with all regional states. He noted, however, that Armenia
should take certain steps to allow Turkey to convince the opposition
that forging diplomatic ties with Yerevan is appropriate.
"If Armenia wants the border to open as soon as possible, it should
take certain steps, particularly with regard to the Garabagh problem,"
said Davutoglu.
He emphasized that "the government`s mission will end with the
passage of the six-week period, and the fate of these protocols will
be decided in parliament."
Under the agreement reached, the protocols to be signed will go
into effect after their ratification at the Turkish and Armenian
parliaments, while the border is expected to open two months the
protocols are signed.
Protests Activists of Armenia`s nationalist Dashnaksutyun Party
launched a hunger strike outside the government building and the
Foreign Ministry on Tuesday to protest the agreements with Turkey,
the party said. Dashnaksutyun also intends to begin a signature
collection campaign.
It said in a statement that its representatives will demand to redraft
the protocols, which they consider a threat to Armenian interests.
The Armenian National Congress, led by opposition leader, former
president Levon Ter-Petrosian, is opposed to the border opening. Levon
Zurabyan, the organization`s coordinator, has told a news conference
that the opposition was toughening its stance toward Turkey and
launching protests. Zurabyan said Armenia`s authorities are making
"degrading concessions" to Ankara, hinting at the planned establishment
of an intergovernmental commission of historians, which the opposition
says questions the alleged genocide of Armenians.