Alexander Sotnichenko: Armenia plays interesting diplomatic game

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia's Constitutional Court shouldn't have passed a single-package decision over RA-Turkish Protocols, according to Alexander Sotnichenko, leading analyst at St. Petersburg Center for Contemporary Middle East.



"I don't think the CC decision is impossible to find on the Internet," he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.



At that, he noted that Turkey disapproves RA Constitutional Court's decision to distinguish primary and secondary clauses in Protocols.



"The most vulnerable moment for Turkey is that the Constitutional Court gave primary role to border opening and establishment of diplomatic ties," the Russian expert said, adding that Armenia actually refuses to recognize Turkey's territorial integrity, unless these conditions are met.



Criticizing Turkish Foreign Ministry's statement, Sotnichenko said Ankara should closely study RA CC decision and indicate the clauses it disapproves.



"Armenia's playing an interesting diplomatic game. RA CC decision proves that the country is ready for ratifying the Protocols, with Turkey being responsible for procrastinations," he noted, adding that Armenia conducts wrong diplomacy in relation to Turkey.



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.

In its official comments on RA CC decision over Armenia-Turkey Protocols, Turkey's Foreign Ministry states that the document contains preconditions and restrictions which violate the letter and spirit of the Protocols.



"On January 12, Armenia's Constitutional Court found the Protocols conformable to the country's basic law. The decision, available in short text format, undermines the essence and objective of current negotiations. Such approach cannot be acceptable to us," says the statement posted on Turkish Foreign Ministry's Web site.