Vahan Hovhannesyan: weakening of Armenian nation- main goal of Turkey

April 19, 2010 - 16:08 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia-Turkey protocols are on the verge of cancellation, ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group leader Vahan Hovhannesyan stated.

According to him, Turkey’s aim in starting reconciliation process was to saw dissent between Armenia and Diaspora, with the final aim of stirring disputes inside Diaspora. Weakening of Armenian nation is the main goal of Turkey, Vahan Hovhannesyan stressed.

At the same time, he noted Armenia’s withdrawal of its Protocol signature to be only way out of the situation. “Still, this doesn’t mean we have to stop negotiations with Turkey, but that the rules dictated to us should be changed. As Vahan Hovhannesyan stated, Armenian-Turkish border opening without Protocols ratification is not feasible. However he didn’t preclude the possibility of a new stage in Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, which would not involve ratification.

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.