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EurasiaNet.org, NY
March 2 2012
Why the 2009 Turkey-Armenia Protocols Broke Down
March 2, 2012 - 5:14pm, by Yigal Schleifer
When they were signed in late 2009, the protocols between Turkey and
Armenia -- designed to restore diplomatic relations between the two
countries and create a vehicle for discussing their painful shared
history -- were hailed as a major breakthrough and as an important
victory for Ankara's new "zero problems with neighbors" policy.
Still, despite the applause, it was fairly clear already at the
signing -- which was delayed by three hours because of a dispute
between Ankara and Yerevan over their respective statements -- that
the protocols had a rough road ahead of them. Indeed, not much longer
after they were signed, the agreement was as good as dead, killed off
by a combination of Turkish buyer's remorse, Azeri bullying and
Armenian naivete.
Just how did things fall apart so quickly? In a new report issued by
Columbia University's Institute for the Study of Human Rights, David
Phillips, who has been involved in previous Turkish-Armenian
reconciliation efforts, goes a long way towards answering that
question by providing an extremely detailed diplomatic history of the
protocols.
As Phillips writes, "The Protocols represented an unprecedented
advancement in relations between Turkey and Armenia. However, failure
to ratify them was a significant bilateral, regional, and
international setback." As he sees it, the protocols are dead in their
current form and cannot be revived, while Ankara, busy with other,
more pressing regional concerns, is not likely to return to the
Armenia file for now.
Phillips's report, filled with candid observations from many of the
diplomats involved in getting the protocols ratified, makes for
fascinating and highly-instructive reading.
From: Baghdasarian
March 2 2012
Why the 2009 Turkey-Armenia Protocols Broke Down
March 2, 2012 - 5:14pm, by Yigal Schleifer
When they were signed in late 2009, the protocols between Turkey and
Armenia -- designed to restore diplomatic relations between the two
countries and create a vehicle for discussing their painful shared
history -- were hailed as a major breakthrough and as an important
victory for Ankara's new "zero problems with neighbors" policy.
Still, despite the applause, it was fairly clear already at the
signing -- which was delayed by three hours because of a dispute
between Ankara and Yerevan over their respective statements -- that
the protocols had a rough road ahead of them. Indeed, not much longer
after they were signed, the agreement was as good as dead, killed off
by a combination of Turkish buyer's remorse, Azeri bullying and
Armenian naivete.
Just how did things fall apart so quickly? In a new report issued by
Columbia University's Institute for the Study of Human Rights, David
Phillips, who has been involved in previous Turkish-Armenian
reconciliation efforts, goes a long way towards answering that
question by providing an extremely detailed diplomatic history of the
protocols.
As Phillips writes, "The Protocols represented an unprecedented
advancement in relations between Turkey and Armenia. However, failure
to ratify them was a significant bilateral, regional, and
international setback." As he sees it, the protocols are dead in their
current form and cannot be revived, while Ankara, busy with other,
more pressing regional concerns, is not likely to return to the
Armenia file for now.
Phillips's report, filled with candid observations from many of the
diplomats involved in getting the protocols ratified, makes for
fascinating and highly-instructive reading.
From: Baghdasarian