Armenia to declare Zurich Protocols null and void in due time
29.01.2018,
15:56
Armenia will officially declare the Zurich Protocols, signed by Armenia and Turkey in 2009 in Zurich, null and void in 2018 September as promised by President Serzh Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said on Monday.
YEREVAN, January 29. /ARKA/. Armenia will officially declare the Zurich Protocols, signed by Armenia and Turkey in 2009 in Zurich, null and void in 2018 September as promised by President Serzh Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said on Monday.
In 2009, on October 10, Armenia and Turkey signed "Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations" and the "Protocol on the Development of Bilateral Relations" in Zurich which were to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries.
However, on 22 April 2010, the president of Armenia signed a decree suspending the ratification of the protocols, stating that Turkey was not ready to continue the process, since it became known that the protocols had been automatically removed from the Turkish parliament’s agenda.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September 2017 Serzh Sargsyan stated that Armenia never put the recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precondition for regulating relations with Ankara. Sargsyan said also that in the absence of positive progress on the part of Turkey, Armenia would declare them null and void in 2018 spring.
"Improving relations between Armenia and Turkey would mean establishment of diplomatic contacts, which would enable a more efficient and quick solution of all emerging problems, including those problems that Armenian citizens may encounter in Turkey," Nalbandian said.
Speaking about the possible impact of declaring the protocols null and void on Armenia's international image, the minister noted that in recent years the international community has repeatedly noted that the ball is in the field of Turkey.
"In this context, it is Turkey that should worry about its international image," Nalbandian said.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations; the border between the two countries was closed in 1993 by Ankara in solidarity with Azerbaijan. Relations between Armenia and Turkey remain tense because of Ankara’s biased stance on Karabakh problem and its painful reaction to Armenia’s efforts to obtain worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman Turkey during World War I. -0-
In 2009, on October 10, Armenia and Turkey signed "Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations" and the "Protocol on the Development of Bilateral Relations" in Zurich which were to be ratified by the parliaments of both countries.
However, on 22 April 2010, the president of Armenia signed a decree suspending the ratification of the protocols, stating that Turkey was not ready to continue the process, since it became known that the protocols had been automatically removed from the Turkish parliament’s agenda.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September 2017 Serzh Sargsyan stated that Armenia never put the recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precondition for regulating relations with Ankara. Sargsyan said also that in the absence of positive progress on the part of Turkey, Armenia would declare them null and void in 2018 spring.
"Improving relations between Armenia and Turkey would mean establishment of diplomatic contacts, which would enable a more efficient and quick solution of all emerging problems, including those problems that Armenian citizens may encounter in Turkey," Nalbandian said.
Speaking about the possible impact of declaring the protocols null and void on Armenia's international image, the minister noted that in recent years the international community has repeatedly noted that the ball is in the field of Turkey.
"In this context, it is Turkey that should worry about its international image," Nalbandian said.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations; the border between the two countries was closed in 1993 by Ankara in solidarity with Azerbaijan. Relations between Armenia and Turkey remain tense because of Ankara’s biased stance on Karabakh problem and its painful reaction to Armenia’s efforts to obtain worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman Turkey during World War I. -0-
