INITIATIVE OF YEREVAN ON NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS DISPELLED THE ILLUSIONS ABOUT NEW AND MODERN TURKEY - SARGSYAN
ARKA
Aug 30, 2011
YEREVAN, August 30. /ARKA/. Initiative of Yerevan on normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations dispelled the illusions about a new and
modern Turkey, said President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in the meeting
with the central staff of Foreign Ministry and heads of diplomatic
missions of the country abroad.
Process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations started by the
initiative of the President of Armenian Serzh Sargsyan in autumn 2008.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Turkey Edward Nalbandyan
and Ahmed Davutoghlu signed "Protocol on establishment of diplomatic
relations" and "Protocol on the development of mutual relations" on
October 10, 2009. These documents should be ratified by the parliaments
of both countries. However, on April 22, 2010 Sargsyan signed a decree
on the termination of ratification process of protocols announcing
that Turkey is not ready to continue the started process. Ratification
process of protocols by the Turkish Parliament is in a frozen state.
"It may seem that we have to regret in connection with the initiative
of Armenian-Turkish relations as Turkey abandoned its obligations
and we have squandered an enormous political potential. I think that
many of this audience understand that this initiative had raised the
international prestige of Armenia and dispelled the illusion of our
colleagues about a new and modern Turkey, identifying contemporary
demonstrations of policy familiar to the Armenians from historical
experience", press-service of the President's Office cited the words
of the president to the news agency "Novosti-Armenia".
However, according to the president, Armenia remains committed to
its position and normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations without
pre-conditions.
"Turkey must find strength to respect its commitments not making
demands which do not honor the country that considers itself a modern
regional state", he said.
Sargsyan also noted that the Turkish side should understand that
Armenian-Turkish protocols are not open and open-ended opportunity.
On August 22, 2011 Armenian-Turkish protocols were removed from the
agenda of legislative body of Turkey. According to the regulations of
the Turkish Parliament, the draft documents are automatically excluded
from the agenda if they are not discussed during convocation and are
not forwarded to the Parliament by the Prime Minister of members of
the parliament. It is not clear whether the intention of the Prime
Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to submit the protocols
to the parliament.
"Many of our friends advised us to wait until the parliamentary
elections in Turkey. So, in the next few months we will see if
there is a change in the approach of Turkey after the elections,
despite the fact that, speaking honestly, the last two months have
not given a basis for optimism. In regard with these observations,
we will define our next steps regarding the protocols", he said.
There are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey. The
border between two countries was closed since 1993 by the official
initiative of Ankara. Complicated relations between both countries
are due to a number of circumstances, particularly by the support
of Ankara to Azerbaijani position in Karabakh conflict and acute
reaction of Turkey on the process of international recognition of
Armenian Genocide in 1915 in Ottoman Empire.
ARKA
Aug 30, 2011
YEREVAN, August 30. /ARKA/. Initiative of Yerevan on normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations dispelled the illusions about a new and
modern Turkey, said President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in the meeting
with the central staff of Foreign Ministry and heads of diplomatic
missions of the country abroad.
Process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations started by the
initiative of the President of Armenian Serzh Sargsyan in autumn 2008.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Turkey Edward Nalbandyan
and Ahmed Davutoghlu signed "Protocol on establishment of diplomatic
relations" and "Protocol on the development of mutual relations" on
October 10, 2009. These documents should be ratified by the parliaments
of both countries. However, on April 22, 2010 Sargsyan signed a decree
on the termination of ratification process of protocols announcing
that Turkey is not ready to continue the started process. Ratification
process of protocols by the Turkish Parliament is in a frozen state.
"It may seem that we have to regret in connection with the initiative
of Armenian-Turkish relations as Turkey abandoned its obligations
and we have squandered an enormous political potential. I think that
many of this audience understand that this initiative had raised the
international prestige of Armenia and dispelled the illusion of our
colleagues about a new and modern Turkey, identifying contemporary
demonstrations of policy familiar to the Armenians from historical
experience", press-service of the President's Office cited the words
of the president to the news agency "Novosti-Armenia".
However, according to the president, Armenia remains committed to
its position and normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations without
pre-conditions.
"Turkey must find strength to respect its commitments not making
demands which do not honor the country that considers itself a modern
regional state", he said.
Sargsyan also noted that the Turkish side should understand that
Armenian-Turkish protocols are not open and open-ended opportunity.
On August 22, 2011 Armenian-Turkish protocols were removed from the
agenda of legislative body of Turkey. According to the regulations of
the Turkish Parliament, the draft documents are automatically excluded
from the agenda if they are not discussed during convocation and are
not forwarded to the Parliament by the Prime Minister of members of
the parliament. It is not clear whether the intention of the Prime
Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to submit the protocols
to the parliament.
"Many of our friends advised us to wait until the parliamentary
elections in Turkey. So, in the next few months we will see if
there is a change in the approach of Turkey after the elections,
despite the fact that, speaking honestly, the last two months have
not given a basis for optimism. In regard with these observations,
we will define our next steps regarding the protocols", he said.
There are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey. The
border between two countries was closed since 1993 by the official
initiative of Ankara. Complicated relations between both countries
are due to a number of circumstances, particularly by the support
of Ankara to Azerbaijani position in Karabakh conflict and acute
reaction of Turkey on the process of international recognition of
Armenian Genocide in 1915 in Ottoman Empire.