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TURKEY WILL SIGN PROTOCOLS IF ARMENIA SURRENDERS 2 REGIONS - SABINE FREIZER
news.am
Nov 29 2011
Armenia
Turkey-Armenia protocols can still be brought forward to the
Turkish Parliament and be voted on, European Program Director at the
International Crisis Group Sabine Freizer told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
In an e-mail letter she commented on recent statement by Turkish
President Abdullah Gul that the protocols cannot be considered dead.
The expert considers Turkish parliament is unlikely to vote until there
is some positive movement on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
In October 2009 Armenia and Turkey signed protocols in Zurich to
normalize diplomatic relations between the states. The documents
had to be ratified in both countries' parliaments. However, in
2010 the Armenian president suspended the process due to Turkey's
non-constructive stance.
Ankara set preconditions and linked the reconciliation process to
resolution of the Karabakh conflict.Turkey decided to remove the
protocols from parliament's agenda this August.
"Even though there is no legal link between the two issues, in
practice and for political reasons Turkey has linked them. Ankara
has not clearly defined what it means by 'progress' however, it could
possibly mean the signature of an agreement on basic principles or the
start of withdrawal by Armenian forces of one or two of the occupied
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh," she said.
According to Freizer, such a withdrawal would indeed change the whole
dynamic in the region towards peace and development. "Neither Armenia
nor Nagorno-Karabakh have ever claimed sovereignty over territories
like Fizuli," she said.
Commenting on the protocols, she stressed that even if they are
not yet signed, "normalization between Armenia and Turkey is moving
forward with regards to contacts in many fields."
news.am
Nov 29 2011
Armenia
Turkey-Armenia protocols can still be brought forward to the
Turkish Parliament and be voted on, European Program Director at the
International Crisis Group Sabine Freizer told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
In an e-mail letter she commented on recent statement by Turkish
President Abdullah Gul that the protocols cannot be considered dead.
The expert considers Turkish parliament is unlikely to vote until there
is some positive movement on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
In October 2009 Armenia and Turkey signed protocols in Zurich to
normalize diplomatic relations between the states. The documents
had to be ratified in both countries' parliaments. However, in
2010 the Armenian president suspended the process due to Turkey's
non-constructive stance.
Ankara set preconditions and linked the reconciliation process to
resolution of the Karabakh conflict.Turkey decided to remove the
protocols from parliament's agenda this August.
"Even though there is no legal link between the two issues, in
practice and for political reasons Turkey has linked them. Ankara
has not clearly defined what it means by 'progress' however, it could
possibly mean the signature of an agreement on basic principles or the
start of withdrawal by Armenian forces of one or two of the occupied
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh," she said.
According to Freizer, such a withdrawal would indeed change the whole
dynamic in the region towards peace and development. "Neither Armenia
nor Nagorno-Karabakh have ever claimed sovereignty over territories
like Fizuli," she said.
Commenting on the protocols, she stressed that even if they are
not yet signed, "normalization between Armenia and Turkey is moving
forward with regards to contacts in many fields."