January 20, 2010 - 21:48 AMT
Galust Sahakyan: We're ready for Turkey's refusal to ratify Protocols
Armenian authorities' harsh statements on current rapprochement process were caused by Turkey's policy of Protocols' ratification, RPA parliamentary group leader Galust Sahakyansaid.

According to Sahakyan, Turkish Parliament will ratify Protocols, otherwise it will have to face international -community related problems. "Still, we're ready for Turkey's refusal to ratify Protocols," RPA parliamentary group leader stated.


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.

The Republican Party of Armenia is a national conservative political party in Armenia. It was the first political party in independent Armenia to be founded (2 April 1990) and registered (14 May 1991). It is the largest party of the centre-right in Armenia, and claims to have 140,000 members. The party controls most government bodies in Armenia.
At the 2003 parliamentary elections on May 25, the party received 23.5% of the popular vote, winning 31 out of 131 seats. At the last parliamentary elections on May 12, 2007, the party received 33.91% of the popular vote, winning 64 out of 131 seats. The former prime minister, Andranik Markaryan, was the leader of the party. Current President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, is the chairman of RPA board.