Decision of Constitutional Court of Armenia regarding Armenian-Turkish protocols is not due to discussion with Turkey – Deputy of the Parliament from

YEREVAN, January 20. /ARKA/. “Decision of Constitutional Court of Armenia regarding Armenian-Turkish protocols is not due to discussion with Turkey”, said Galust Sahakyan, Head of Parliament fraction of Republican Party of Armenia during the press-conference on Wednesday.

Announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey about incompliance of the decision of Constitutional Court of Armenia regarding Armenian-Turkish protocols, pre-conditions and limitation of regulations is the result of Turkish policy based on intrigues. After signing the protocols on October 10, 2009 in Zurich Turkish authorities tried to show new approaches in this issue related to Karabakh and Genocide of Armenians. “Nobody forced Turkey to sign the protocols. All talks around it are for trying to create necessary atmosphere for Turkey.

Such announcements from Turkish side are not accepted from the point of view of international cooperation”, said Sahakyan. Any time in future Turkey will ratify the protocols. Non-ratification will mean defeat of Turkey and not Armenia. Armenian-Turkish border was closed since 1993 by the official initiative of Ankara. Diplomatic relations are lacking between Armenia and Turkey. Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Turkey Edward Nalbandyan and Ahmed Davutoghlu signed “Protocol on establishment of diplomatic relations” and “Protocol on development of mutual relations» on October 10, Saturday, in Zurich.

Then these documents should be approved by the parliaments of both countries. Complicated relations between two countries were due to the fact that Ankara supported Azerbaijan in Karabakh problem and also an acute reaction of Turkey on the process of international recognition of Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Ottoman Empire. On January 12, 2010 Constitutional Court of Armenia recognized the responsibilities of the protocols which are in accordance with the Constitution of Armenia.

Gagik Harutyunyan, Head of Constitutional Court of Armenia read the decision, analyzed the norms of Armenian-Turkish protocols stating that the responsibilities of the protocols have mutual and inter-state character and cannot be spread over the third country.

Members of Constitutional Court of Armenia stated that priority regulation of the protocols is the opening of Armenian-Turkish border and other responsibilities bear legal character only in case of its opening. Constitutional Court of Armenia defined in its decision that responsibilities of the protocols are based on the principles of international law and practice. Interpretation and application of the protocols cannot oppose to the preamble of Armenian Constitution. --0-