Ruben Safrastyan: Sooner or later new Armenian-Turkish process will start

March 29, 2010 - 18:40 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey does not seek to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols, Professor Ruben Safrastyan, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of RA NAS told a news conference in Yerevan.

According to him, Turkey by its diplomatic steps drove the Armenian-Turkish process to a deadlock. "If this process does not find its logical conclusion, sooner or later a new Armenian-Turkish process will start," Safrastyan said.

"It depends on Turkey, whether the Armenian-Turkish process to get out of the deadlock or not," Ruben Safrastyan said. To process out of the impasse, Ankara should take steps to demonstrate its interest in continuation of that process, the expert concluded.

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.