Lebanese Armenians urge to announce Armenian-Turkish protocols inconsistent with RA Constitution

January 7, 2010 - 15:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
Armenians of Lebanon are going to protest consideration of Armenian-Turkish protocols in the RA Constitutional Court.

Representatives of three traditional Armenian parties - ARF Dashnaktsutyun, Ramkavar Azatakan Party and Hnchak Social Democratic Party - will urge to announce Armenian-Turkish protocols on normalization of bilateral ties inconsistent with RA Constitution, Shahan Kandaharian, editor-in-chief of Beirut-based Azdak newspaper, told PanARMENIAN.Net

Shahan Kandaharian is the editor-in-chief of Beirut-based Azdak newspaper, member of ARF Dashnaktsutyun.

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.