Richard Giragosyan: Turkey may test Armenia’s soundness

July 25, 2011 - 19:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Soon Turkey may seek to make a challenge to Armenia to try it, head of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies Richard Giragosyan said.

Giragosyan gained this impression after meeting with the head of Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu within the framework of the visit of Armenian civil society council representatives to Turkey.

“Talking with Davutoglu Armenian delegates raised three main issues,” Giragosyan told a press conference.

First, Ankara having impeded the process is currently responsible for normalizing relations, whereas Yerevan did everything to improve them. Besides, Armenian representatives noted that Yerevan cannot wait long, according to Giragosyan.

Second, there are two issues unifying Armenians all over the globe, namely, acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide and Karabakh resolution that Ankara cannot ignore.

And, “the third, we reminded that Turkey initially came out for improvement of relations without preconditions, however is putting them forward now, which is not fair,” said Armenian expert.

Giragosyan has got an impression that Turkey may want to test Armenia’s soundness soon. “However they will be disappointed to find Armenia strong. Armenia strengthened its positions as a result of Azerbaijani and Turkish blockade. And it is not ruled out that now the time has come for Armenia to dictate preconditions,” said the expert adding that no progress in Armenian-Turkish process is expected in the near future, however Turkey may step forward by 2015.

25.07.11 - Press conference of the Director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) Richard Giragosian

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.