Ahmet Davutoglu: Armenian-Turkish border not to open, until Protocols are ratified

April 19, 2010 - 19:48 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the Armenian-Turkish border will not be opened, until the countries ratify the Armenian-Turkish Protocols. The Armenian-Turkish border’s opening is not on the agenda without ratification of the documents, Davutoglu said during a joint press conference with Iraqi Vice-President Tariq Al-Hashimi. This was Davutoglu’s reply to the recent statement by head of the Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary group Galust Sahakyan that the Armenian-Turkish border may be opened prior to the Protocols’ ratification, Anatolian News Agency reported.

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.