YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–The internationally backed efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey could end in failure soon, said Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on Jan. 22, accusing Ankara of obstructing the process with preconditions and “artificial” claims.
“If Turkey is not ready to ratify the [Turkish-Armenian] protocols, if it continues, as it has until now, to speak in the language of preconditions, make some linkages and obstruct progress in this process, then of course I don’t exclude it,” Nalbandian told a news conference.
But he added: “Nobody can say for certain that a particular process will end in one or another way. Generally speaking, I don’t like making those kinds of predictions.”
Turkish leaders said this week that Armenia itself set preconditions for normalizing bilateral relations with an interpretation of the protocols that was made by its Constitutional Court just days before. They specifically referred to the court’s view that the protocols can have no legal implications for the Nagorno-Karabagh peace process or stop Yerevan from seeking greater international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Ankara claims this runs counter to the letter and spirit of the documents signed in October 2009.
Nalbandian dismissed the Turkish claims as “nonsense.” “To say that Armenia is dragging out the ratification process is also nonsense,” he said. “We hope that the Turks will not try to cite artificial excuses for not ratifying these protocols.” The Armenian government, he said, remains committed to their speedy and unconditional implementation.
“Guided by the initiative of the president of the Republic of Armenia to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions, intensive talks were held with the Turkish side and the protocols on the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations were signed in Zurich on Oct. 10,” Nalbandian said.
He passed a similar message on to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in a phone conversation on Jan. 20. Davutoglu described as “totally baseless” Nalbandian’s claims that Ankara has thwarted any progress towards the protocols’ endorsement by the Turkish parliament.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara on Jan. 22, Davutoglu insisted that the Armenian court ruling “is against the letter and spirit of the protocols. … Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told me in a telephone conversation that the ruling did not affect previously agreed points in the protocols. But we expect a clearer picture, explanation over this,” he said, according to the AFP news agency.
President Serge Sarkisian said last month that Armenia will walk away from the deal if the Turks fail to validate it “within a reasonable time-frame.” But neither he, nor other Armenian officials have set more precise deadlines for Turkish ratification.
In Nalbandian’s words, Yerevan is confident that the international community would blame Turkey, rather than Armenia, for the possible collapse of the process.
“Today, Armenia appears to the world as a predictable and reliable partner, whose approaches are comprehended and appreciated,” Nalbandian said, adding that key international players and centers of power respect Armenia for its “proven reliability on both regional and international levels.”
To bolster his position, Nalbandian said the Foreign Ministry took big steps in 2009 to deepen and reinforce Armenia’s cooperation with partner countries. “Armenia followed its policy of European integration both in bilateral format and within the framework of European structures. Our country jointed the EU Eastern Partnership Program,” Nalbandian said. “Armenia also played an active role in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Community,” he added. “Our country was consistent in implementing the Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO and expanded its participation in international peacekeeping activity.”
“A number of reciprocal visits, political consultations, meetings, and other events took place last year. About 100 international agreements were concluded. The Armenian president made 22 foreign visits and the presidents of eight countries visited Armenia,” he added.
According to the foreign minister, the diplomatic activism of the Foreign Ministry has “created favorable conditions for the development of the republic, presented Armenia’s positions on the international arena, raised the effectiveness of the defense of rights of the republic and its citizens abroad, and deepened Armenia’s involvement in international organizations and processes.”
Nalbandian said he believed these steps have gained greater support for Armenia’s position in the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict. “For the first time, the right of peoples to self-determination was mentioned in the statement of the OSCE Ministerial as an indispensable principle of settlement. A number of international documents stressed the importance of the principle of the non-use of force or threat of force,” he said.
Let these artificially-imposed, essentially anti-Armenian, and thus humiliating protocols got to HELL!
Honeymoon is over! Parties are accusing each other for breach of contract. If protocols are not dead, they are surely in coma. Mr. Nalbandian must cite the holdings of the Constitutional Court to defend his position rather than declaration of other organizations.
The Court basically held that these two countries must first have healthy diplomatic relationship with complete open boarders and then and only then they can start considering other dimensions. Another word, without having full diplomatic and open boarders other issues are moot. Therefore, the Constitutional Court is in the same page as most of us in homeland and diaspora. However, the Constitutional Court could have reached opposite decision based upon its own holdings. Furthermore, the decision of the Constitutional Court is unconstitutional based on the following reasons: First, the issue formulated by the Court becomes a political question not judiciary one. Having diplomatic relation with foreign nation is strictly a foreign affair. Second, the holdings of the court support opposite decision. Since, all acts including the decision of the Constitutional Court must be constitutional. Therefore, the Court itself has violated the Constitution by passing judgment on a political question and declaring the protocols constitutional.
Well said manooshag.
Artsakh will be sold and soon.
It will again be incorporated into turkey(azerbaijan is an artificial country as far as history books are concerned. the land of azerbaijan used to belong to Armenia, so if they want one Armenian province, Artsakh,…then Armenians should demand the return of the whole country called azerbaijan. Proof: Historians of the day, clearly put current azerbaijan in Armenia.)
Ferhat
The threat of collapse looms over Nalbandyan-Sarksyan Duet! The Karabakhi people will never grow into a victim the way Sarksyan and Nalbandyan dream.
God save Karabakh!