Artak Shakaryan: Ankara seeks to keep Armenia-Turkey process half alive

March 31, 2010 - 16:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Should Armenia-Turkey rapprochement process fail, recommencing it will be possible in 5-6 years only, according to expert Artak Shakaryan.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, failure of the process will deteriorate bilateral relations, making the situation even worse that it was before the signing of Protocols.

Ankara will undertake further steps to drag out the dialogue, being more interested in the process than in the result. “Ankara seeks to keep the Armenia-Turkey process half alive. Still, ratifying at least one of the protocols would be a smart move. Turkey could do so if only to demonstrate its intention to continue the process,” he said, adding that, obviously, Turkey participates in rapprochement process while under pressure.

“The outcome of the process mostly depends on the oncoming visit of Armenian President to Washington in April, where he’ll participate in global nuclear security summit,” the expert noted.

At the same time, Mr. Shakaryan stated that the failure of Armenia-Turkey reconciliation will not affect Turkey’s bid for EU membership. “Ankara has too many problems for a closed Armenia-Turkey border to affect its image,” he said.

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.