ANC will not hold protest rallies in connection with Protocols' discussion at RA Constitutional Court

January 8, 2010 - 16:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
At present, Armenian National Congress (ANC) will not hold protest rallies in connection with oncoming Protocols-related discussion at RA Constitutional Court, ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan said.

As he told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, current authorities are the only ones to decide as to Protocols ratification.

As he noted, the problem lies not in decisions, already taken, but rather in failure of Armenian policy. "We see today that the process is related to Karabakh conflict settlement, though authorities' statements indicated the opposite. Their forecasts on Turkey's ratifying protocols in December did not come true either," Zurabyan emphasized.

Commenting on recently circulated information about secret Gul-Medvedev negotiations on Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, Zurabyan noted that Russia-Turkey negotiations wouldn't have mattered to Armenia, had Serzh Sargsyan's foreign policy justified itself. "At present any agreement, supporting Russia's and Turkey's interests, is possible. Our authorities have to support Armenia's interests. Yet, unfortunately, all our authorities are concerned about is preserving power," he stressed.

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “it contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols.” ”The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same allegiance from the Armenian government,” the Ministry said.

Armenian National Congress

Before elections of 19 February 2008 around the presidential candidate, Levon Ter-Petrossian, the first Armenian President, an alliance of more than 20 political parties and initiatives formed the all-national movement. On May 2, 2008 at the 2nd Congress of all-national movement Levon Ter-Petrossian put forward the idea of establishing the Armenian National Congress. On August 1, 2008 during a rally the Armenian National Congress was formally established.\r\n\r\nAmong the basic requirements of ANC are the release of political prisoners, restoration of the constitutional rights of citizens and the holding of early elections.