US, Russia apply stick and carrot policy to Ankara

March 15, 2010 - 14:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - There is a slim possibility of ratification of the Protocols on normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations by the Turkish parliament till late April, according to Alexander Iskandaryan, director of Caucasus Institute.

“Turkey is under pressure but the matter is whether the exerted leverage is strong enough to make it ratify the documents. Opposition to the protocols inside Turkey is stronger than pressure from outside,” he told a news conference in Yerevan.

At that, Mr. Iskandaryan did not rule out that Armenia can withdraw its signature in case Ankara doesn’t ratify the Protocols till late April.

As to position of superpowers, he said the US, EU and Russia are surprisingly concordant on the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. “The superpowers apply stick and carrot policy to Ankara,” he said.

Dwelling on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Mr. Iskandaryan said there is no chance for its soonest resolution.

The Armenian Genocide resolution

The resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide (H.Res.252) was formally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-CA), George Radanovich (R.-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill). On March 4, 2010 it was adopted with a 22-21 vote by the House Committee on Foreign Relations. A similar resolution was introduced in the Senate.

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.