Armenian Political Coalition Makes Joint Statement On Armenia-Turkey

Armenian Political Coalition Makes Joint Statement On Armenia-Turkey Protocols

Panorama.am
22/04/2010

The political boards of the parties represented in the political
coalition of the National Assembly – Armenian Republican Party,
Prosperous Armenia Party, Orinats Yerkir – came forth with a joint
statement today, which runs as follows:

"Over the past two years the President of the Republic of Armenia,
supported by the political majority of the National Assembly, has
taken consistent steps towards establishment and development of
Armenian-Turkish relations without preconditions. The United States,
the Russian Federation, France and Switzerland have greatly backed
the process. Many countries worldwide have positively assessed
the initiative, emphasizing its exceptional importance for the
establishment of stability in the region and solution of the existing
conflicts through civilized dialogue.

The constructive efforts of the Armenian side and the expectations
of the international community faced Turkey’s inconsistent policy of
evasion and preconditions, which brought the process of ratification
of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, signed in Zurich, October 10,
2009, within a reasonable timeframe into a deadlock.

The political majority of the National Assembly considers unacceptable
the statements of the Turkish side, namely Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, trying to link the ratification of the protocols by Turkey
to the settlement of the Karabakh issue.

At the same time, taking into consideration the refusal of the Turkish
side from its commitment to ratify the protocols without preconditions
and within a reasonable timeframe makes the continuation of the process
over their ratification in the Armenian National Assembly pointless at
this stage, the coalition considers it proper to suspend the process
and withdraw the issue from the agenda of the four-day sittings
until the Turkish side is ready to continue the process without
preconditions," information department of the Armenian National
Assembly reported.