Vladimir Zakharov: Ankara should be less guided by its "Azerbaijani friends"

May 4, 2010 - 18:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian political analyst Vladimir Zakharov said that he considers Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's statement on freezing the Armenian-Turkish process to be a correct step. It was a wise step by the Armenian leadership, Zakharov told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "If Turkey makes up its mind to continue the negotiations, the process will resume, but without any preconditions. And Turkey will do so, as it is demanded by the U.S.," the Russian expert said. According to him, Ankara should be less guided by its "Azerbaijani friends" and should continue the Armenian-Turkish process without preconditions.

At the same time, Zakharov agreed with many experts' opinion that Turkey does not know what it wants of Armenia.

Referring to possible continuation of the process, the Russian expert said that the world is changing so rapidly that the process may resume in a couple of days or a month. "Nobody can predict it. And only one thing is clear – the same process cannot be continued, as all the achievements were nullified due Turkey's efforts," said Zakharov. According to him, the Armenian-Turkish normalization should be started from scratch.

On April 22, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on termination of the procedure on ratification of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols signed in Zurich on October 10, 2009.

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.