Protocol News
ARMENIAN FREEZES TURKEY PACT RATIFICATION
The Associated Press
April 22, 2010 Thursday 03:47 PM GMT
YEREVAN, Armenia
Armenia is freezing its ratification of an agreement to normalize ties
with Turkey and reopen their shared border, the Armenian president
said Thursday dealing a setback to efforts to end the countries'
long-standing enmity.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 to protest the
Armenia-backed war by separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region;
the region is an enclave within Azerbaijan but under the control of
Armenian and ethnic Armenian forces.
The border closure exacerbated tensions already high over the issue
of whether the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians during the
final days of the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide.
Neither Turkey nor Armenia have ratified the October agreement to
restore diplomatic ties. Armenia's governing coalition accuses Turkey
of dragging its feet by demanding the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute be
settled first.
President Serge Sarkisian said Thursday he was not abandoning the
normalization process, but instead would "suspend the procedure of
ratifying the protocols."
"We shall consider moving forward when we are convinced that there
is a proper environment in Turkey and there is leadership in Ankara
ready to re-engage in the normalization process," he said in a
televised address.
In Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Armenia was free
to decide how it wanted to proceed. "I have expressed our loyalty to
the protocols on numerous occasions," he said. "We will press ahead
with the process on the principle that treaties are binding."
Mediation efforts by Russia, France, the United States and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute have made little visible progress.
The Associated Press
April 22, 2010 Thursday 03:47 PM GMT
YEREVAN, Armenia
Armenia is freezing its ratification of an agreement to normalize ties
with Turkey and reopen their shared border, the Armenian president
said Thursday dealing a setback to efforts to end the countries'
long-standing enmity.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 to protest the
Armenia-backed war by separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region;
the region is an enclave within Azerbaijan but under the control of
Armenian and ethnic Armenian forces.
The border closure exacerbated tensions already high over the issue
of whether the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians during the
final days of the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide.
Neither Turkey nor Armenia have ratified the October agreement to
restore diplomatic ties. Armenia's governing coalition accuses Turkey
of dragging its feet by demanding the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute be
settled first.
President Serge Sarkisian said Thursday he was not abandoning the
normalization process, but instead would "suspend the procedure of
ratifying the protocols."
"We shall consider moving forward when we are convinced that there
is a proper environment in Turkey and there is leadership in Ankara
ready to re-engage in the normalization process," he said in a
televised address.
In Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Armenia was free
to decide how it wanted to proceed. "I have expressed our loyalty to
the protocols on numerous occasions," he said. "We will press ahead
with the process on the principle that treaties are binding."
Mediation efforts by Russia, France, the United States and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute have made little visible progress.
RFE/RL Report
Friday, April 23, 2010
U.S., France Praise Armenian Move On Turkey
23.04.2010
The United States and France praised Armenia on Friday for not
annulling the Western-backed agreements to normalize its relations
with Turkey despite Ankara's refusal to implement them at this
juncture.
The U.S. State Department insisted that the normalization process has
not collapsed and that the Turkish-Armenian protocols may still be put
into effect `over the long term.'
`We note President [Serzh] Sarkisian's announcement that Armenia will
suspend the discussion of the protocols in its National Assembly,'
Philip Gordon, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for European and
Eurasian affairs, said in a statement circulated by the U.S. Embassy
in Yerevan.
`President Sarkisian's announcement makes clear that Armenia has not
ended the process but has suspended it until the Turkish side is ready
to move forward,' he said. `We applaud President Sarkisian's decision
to continue to work towards a vision of peace, stability, and
reconciliation.
`We continue to urge both sides to keep the door open to pursuing
efforts at reconciliation and normalization,' added Gordon.
U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley likewise said
Washington is satisfied with Sarkisian's decision not to withdraw
Yerevan's signature from the agreements. `This is something that the
Armenians had hinted to us that they were prepared to do, so we're not
surprised by the announcement,' he told a daily news briefing late on
Thursday.
`We are actually encouraged that, both in the case of Armenia and
Turkey, both sides have taken pains to make sure the process doesn't
collapse. That gives us some reason for optimism that over the long
term we can find ways to come back to it and try to push forward the
protocols again,' Crowley said.
In a televised address to the nation earlier on Thursday, Sarkisian
said he and his governing coalition have chosen not to scrap the
protocols for the time being at the request of the United States,
Russia and other foreign powers. He mentioned in that regard his
recent talks with the U.S., French and Russian presidents.
Sarkisian and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with
U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington early last week. According
to Crowley, Obama conveyed the following message to the Armenian and
Turkish leaders: `Keep the process going; if you don't think that this
is the right time, that's fine, we'll step back and reevaluate how to
move forward.'
The U.S. reaction to the Armenian decision was echoed by French
President Nicolas Sarkozy. `President Sarkozy welcomes by the Armenian
president's readiness to adhere to the process of normalizing
Turkish-Armenian relations, despite difficulties which the two sides
have encountered in the process of ratifying the protocols signed in
Zurich on October 10,' the French Embassy in Yerevan said in a
statement on Friday.
The statement said France is urging Armenia and Turkey to `maintain
the dialogue' and `multiply efforts' to implement the protocols.
U.S., France Praise Armenian Move On Turkey
23.04.2010
The United States and France praised Armenia on Friday for not
annulling the Western-backed agreements to normalize its relations
with Turkey despite Ankara's refusal to implement them at this
juncture.
The U.S. State Department insisted that the normalization process has
not collapsed and that the Turkish-Armenian protocols may still be put
into effect `over the long term.'
`We note President [Serzh] Sarkisian's announcement that Armenia will
suspend the discussion of the protocols in its National Assembly,'
Philip Gordon, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for European and
Eurasian affairs, said in a statement circulated by the U.S. Embassy
in Yerevan.
`President Sarkisian's announcement makes clear that Armenia has not
ended the process but has suspended it until the Turkish side is ready
to move forward,' he said. `We applaud President Sarkisian's decision
to continue to work towards a vision of peace, stability, and
reconciliation.
`We continue to urge both sides to keep the door open to pursuing
efforts at reconciliation and normalization,' added Gordon.
U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley likewise said
Washington is satisfied with Sarkisian's decision not to withdraw
Yerevan's signature from the agreements. `This is something that the
Armenians had hinted to us that they were prepared to do, so we're not
surprised by the announcement,' he told a daily news briefing late on
Thursday.
`We are actually encouraged that, both in the case of Armenia and
Turkey, both sides have taken pains to make sure the process doesn't
collapse. That gives us some reason for optimism that over the long
term we can find ways to come back to it and try to push forward the
protocols again,' Crowley said.
In a televised address to the nation earlier on Thursday, Sarkisian
said he and his governing coalition have chosen not to scrap the
protocols for the time being at the request of the United States,
Russia and other foreign powers. He mentioned in that regard his
recent talks with the U.S., French and Russian presidents.
Sarkisian and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with
U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington early last week. According
to Crowley, Obama conveyed the following message to the Armenian and
Turkish leaders: `Keep the process going; if you don't think that this
is the right time, that's fine, we'll step back and reevaluate how to
move forward.'
The U.S. reaction to the Armenian decision was echoed by French
President Nicolas Sarkozy. `President Sarkozy welcomes by the Armenian
president's readiness to adhere to the process of normalizing
Turkish-Armenian relations, despite difficulties which the two sides
have encountered in the process of ratifying the protocols signed in
Zurich on October 10,' the French Embassy in Yerevan said in a
statement on Friday.
The statement said France is urging Armenia and Turkey to `maintain
the dialogue' and `multiply efforts' to implement the protocols.
TURKEY COMMITTED TO PROTOCOLS WITH ARMENIA, ERDOGAN SAYS
Focus News
April 22 2010
Bulgaria
Ankara. Turkish premier has said his country remained committed to
achieve goals set by two protocols with Armenia to normalize relations,
The Anatolian Agency reports.
"As we have earlier stated numerous times, we are loyal to the
protocols, their essence and spirit as well as their implementation,"
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a joint press conference with New Zealander
counterpart John Key after a their meeting in the Turkish capital,
Ankara.
Erdogan was responding to a question over Armenian coalition
government's statement on Thursday that it suspended the ratification
process of the protocols.
Focus News
April 22 2010
Bulgaria
Ankara. Turkish premier has said his country remained committed to
achieve goals set by two protocols with Armenia to normalize relations,
The Anatolian Agency reports.
"As we have earlier stated numerous times, we are loyal to the
protocols, their essence and spirit as well as their implementation,"
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a joint press conference with New Zealander
counterpart John Key after a their meeting in the Turkish capital,
Ankara.
Erdogan was responding to a question over Armenian coalition
government's statement on Thursday that it suspended the ratification
process of the protocols.
TELEVISED ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
OF ARMENIA SERZH SARGSYAN
Yerkir
22.04.2010 19:52
Yerevan
Yerevan (Yerkir) - Televised Address of the President of the Republic
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on the Process of Normalization of Relations
between Armenia and Turkey
Fellow Armenians; A year has passed since the Armenian-Turkish-Swiss
joint statement on steps to normalize the relations between Armenia and
Turkey. During this period, the two Protocols aimed at normalization
of the relations have been publicized, discussed in the public domain,
and signed. The documents have for quite a lengthy time now been in the
parliaments of Armenia and Turkey, awaiting ratification. Armenia has
all along demonstrated her commitment to the process of normalization
of relations, to the point of including the Protocols in the agenda
of the National Assembly. We have made clear to the whole world that
our position is nothing but firmly constructive. We have stated that,
if Turkey ratified the Protocols, as agreed, without preconditions
and in a reasonable timeframe, failure by the Armenian Parliament to
ratify them would be precluded.
Now, the time has come to gauge the notion of a "reasonable timeframe"
and whether a conduct is "without preconditions." These criteria were
set forth by not only Armenia, but also all the mediators involved
in the process, all of our international partners.
For a whole year, Turkey's senior officials have not spared public
statements in the language of preconditions. For a whole year, Turkey
has done everything to protract time and fail the process.
Hence, our conclusion and position are straightforward: 1. Turkey
is not ready to continue the process that was started and to move
forward without preconditions in line with the letter of the Protocols.
2. The reasonable timeframes have, in our opinion, elapsed. The
Turkish practice of passing the 24th of April at any cost is simply
unacceptable.
3. We consider unacceptable the pointless efforts of making the
dialogue between Armenia and Turkey an end in itself; from this moment
on, we consider the current phase of normalization exhausted.
My Fellow Armenians; During this period, I have discussed and
continue discussing the future of the process launched with Turkey
with Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Barack Obama of the
United States, Dmitri Medvedev of Russia, as well as our colleagues
in a number of European organizations. We are grateful to them for
supporting our initiative, encouraging the process, and exerting
efforts to secure progress. The matter of the fact is that our partners
have urged us to continue the process, rather than to discontinue it.
Out of respect for them, their efforts, and their sincere aspirations,
we have decided after consulting our Coalition partners and the
National Security Council not to exit the process for the time being,
but rather, to suspend the procedure of ratifying the Protocols. We
believe this to be in the best interests of our nation.
Armenia shall retain her signature under the Protocols, because we
desire to maintain the existing momentum for normalizing relations,
because we desire peace. Our political objective of normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey remains valid, and we shall
consider moving forward when we are convinced that there is a proper
environment in Turkey and there is leadership in Ankara ready to
reengage in the normalization process.
While announcing to the world the end of the current phase of the
process, which was launched with the September 2008 match between the
national football teams of Armenia and Turkey, I express gratitude to
President Abdullah Gul of Turkey for political correctness displayed
throughout this period and the positive relationship that developed
between us.
Fellow Compatriots; In two days, we will commemorate the 95th
anniversary of the first genocide of the 20th century, the remembrance
day of the Armenian Genocide. Our struggle for the international
recognition of the Genocide continues. If some circles in Turkey
attempt to use our candor to our detriment, to manipulate the process
to avoid the reality of the 24th of April, they should know all too
well that the 24th of April is the day that symbolizes the Armenian
Genocide, but in no way shall it mark the time boundary of its
international recognition.
We express our gratitude to all the states, organizations, and
individuals that support us in deploring and preventing crimes against
humanity. We are also grateful to all those Turkish intellectuals
that struggle for the restoration of historical justice and share our
grief. On this eve of the 95th anniversary, we call upon everyone to
remember that the memory of one and a half million innocent victims
exterminated under a state-orchestrated program merely for being
Armenian continues to pose before mankind the demand for recognition
and condemnation.
Fellow Compatriots; We are stronger today than ever before and stand
straight as always.
Henceforth, our efforts for a better Armenia, a better region,
a better world, and a more solid unity of Armenians worldwide will
only multiply. Rest assured that results will be visible all along.
God bless us!
Yerkir
22.04.2010 19:52
Yerevan
Yerevan (Yerkir) - Televised Address of the President of the Republic
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on the Process of Normalization of Relations
between Armenia and Turkey
Fellow Armenians; A year has passed since the Armenian-Turkish-Swiss
joint statement on steps to normalize the relations between Armenia and
Turkey. During this period, the two Protocols aimed at normalization
of the relations have been publicized, discussed in the public domain,
and signed. The documents have for quite a lengthy time now been in the
parliaments of Armenia and Turkey, awaiting ratification. Armenia has
all along demonstrated her commitment to the process of normalization
of relations, to the point of including the Protocols in the agenda
of the National Assembly. We have made clear to the whole world that
our position is nothing but firmly constructive. We have stated that,
if Turkey ratified the Protocols, as agreed, without preconditions
and in a reasonable timeframe, failure by the Armenian Parliament to
ratify them would be precluded.
Now, the time has come to gauge the notion of a "reasonable timeframe"
and whether a conduct is "without preconditions." These criteria were
set forth by not only Armenia, but also all the mediators involved
in the process, all of our international partners.
For a whole year, Turkey's senior officials have not spared public
statements in the language of preconditions. For a whole year, Turkey
has done everything to protract time and fail the process.
Hence, our conclusion and position are straightforward: 1. Turkey
is not ready to continue the process that was started and to move
forward without preconditions in line with the letter of the Protocols.
2. The reasonable timeframes have, in our opinion, elapsed. The
Turkish practice of passing the 24th of April at any cost is simply
unacceptable.
3. We consider unacceptable the pointless efforts of making the
dialogue between Armenia and Turkey an end in itself; from this moment
on, we consider the current phase of normalization exhausted.
My Fellow Armenians; During this period, I have discussed and
continue discussing the future of the process launched with Turkey
with Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Barack Obama of the
United States, Dmitri Medvedev of Russia, as well as our colleagues
in a number of European organizations. We are grateful to them for
supporting our initiative, encouraging the process, and exerting
efforts to secure progress. The matter of the fact is that our partners
have urged us to continue the process, rather than to discontinue it.
Out of respect for them, their efforts, and their sincere aspirations,
we have decided after consulting our Coalition partners and the
National Security Council not to exit the process for the time being,
but rather, to suspend the procedure of ratifying the Protocols. We
believe this to be in the best interests of our nation.
Armenia shall retain her signature under the Protocols, because we
desire to maintain the existing momentum for normalizing relations,
because we desire peace. Our political objective of normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey remains valid, and we shall
consider moving forward when we are convinced that there is a proper
environment in Turkey and there is leadership in Ankara ready to
reengage in the normalization process.
While announcing to the world the end of the current phase of the
process, which was launched with the September 2008 match between the
national football teams of Armenia and Turkey, I express gratitude to
President Abdullah Gul of Turkey for political correctness displayed
throughout this period and the positive relationship that developed
between us.
Fellow Compatriots; In two days, we will commemorate the 95th
anniversary of the first genocide of the 20th century, the remembrance
day of the Armenian Genocide. Our struggle for the international
recognition of the Genocide continues. If some circles in Turkey
attempt to use our candor to our detriment, to manipulate the process
to avoid the reality of the 24th of April, they should know all too
well that the 24th of April is the day that symbolizes the Armenian
Genocide, but in no way shall it mark the time boundary of its
international recognition.
We express our gratitude to all the states, organizations, and
individuals that support us in deploring and preventing crimes against
humanity. We are also grateful to all those Turkish intellectuals
that struggle for the restoration of historical justice and share our
grief. On this eve of the 95th anniversary, we call upon everyone to
remember that the memory of one and a half million innocent victims
exterminated under a state-orchestrated program merely for being
Armenian continues to pose before mankind the demand for recognition
and condemnation.
Fellow Compatriots; We are stronger today than ever before and stand
straight as always.
Henceforth, our efforts for a better Armenia, a better region,
a better world, and a more solid unity of Armenians worldwide will
only multiply. Rest assured that results will be visible all along.
God bless us!
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