News about Protocols... etc.

[Anoush]

Dr. Gordon says ratification shouldn't depend on preconditions and other issues

Turkish HurriyetDaily referred to Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon's statements made after Obama-Erdogan meeting. Gordon emphasized three significant issues for turkey. 1. the first is that Turkey wishes to take mediator's role between Iran and the west. We said we support that sort of mediation; we want them to help as it's necessary for Iran to understand the messages released by the international community. 2. I'm not going to refer to the White House talks over sending turkish troops to Afghanistan. In fact, Turkey has significant role in Afghan issue and our relations with turkey related to that very topic are perfect. 3. We hail the normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties and the protocols also. We also hail resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But, in fact, they are separate processes, and if there's successful development in both of them, then a historic development will be recorded. The protocols should be ratified within reasonable timeframe. We'd like both governments to ratify them as soon as possible. The ratification should be without any preconditions and it should not be linked with other issues. President Obama told that to Erdogan. We are ready to support each side.

Source: Panorama.am

http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2009/12/11/gordon/

[Anoush]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

Russian official says updated Madrid document will be introduced to conflict states

Taking into consideration the results of two-year negotiations between Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents, the co-chairs have prepared updated version of Madrid document, which will be introduced to the sides soon, official representative of RF MFA Andrey Nesterenko declared yesterday. "Russia being a co-chair state of the OSCE Minsk group links the resolution of the conflict with the soonest agreement of the sides over the fundamental principles. Those principles are observed in the Madrid document," Nesterenko said. Russian official stated if the positive dynamics of the current year is recorded in the forthcoming one, then the agreement over the basic principles and peaceful resolution would be expected.

http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2009/12/11/russian-ministry/

[Anoush]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

Hillary Clinton refers to details of Obama-Erdogan meeting in a tel.conversation with President Sargsyan

http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2009/12/11/hilary-qlinton-sargsyan/

[Anoush]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

Turkey should realize that Armenian-Turkish normalization will ensure stability and security...

http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2009/12/10/turkey-s-sargsyan/

[Haykakan]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

BARACK OBAMA WILL BE READY TO PUNISH TURKEY IN CASE OF FAILURE OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS: ARMENIAN EXPERT

ArmInfo
2010-02-04 15:47:00

ArmInfo. Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations the only issue
the USA, Russia and EU have no disagreements on in the region, says
Richard Giragosian, Director of the Armenian Center of National and
International Studies (ACNIS).

He thinks that the USA, Russia and the EU are waiting for actions
by Turkey. He is sure that the USA and Russia will exert pressure on
Turkey within the coming weeks since Turkey disappointed them by its
inconsistent policy. The expert supposes that activation of the process
on recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Washington may be one of
the measures of pressure on Turkey. "Barack Obama may use protraction
of ratification of the protocols to show how strong leaders he is,"
Giragosian says.

[Federate]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

Sarkisian To Send Turkish-Armenian Accord To Parliament


President Serzh Sarkisian said on Wednesday that he has decided to formally submit Armenia’s normalization agreements with Turkey to the Armenian parliament for ratification despite what he called Turkish efforts to distort their essence. (UPDATED)

Speaking during a visit to London, Sarkisian also reaffirmed his threats to annul the two “protocols” if Ankara drags its feet over their ratification. “If, as many suspect, it is proven that Turkey’s goal is to protract, rather than to normalize relations, we will have to discontinue the process,” he warned in a speech at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, a renowned London think-tank also known as Chatham House.

“After the meeting here at Chatham House I intend to instruct my staff to send these documents to Armenia’s National Assembly for starting the ratification process,” Sarkisian said. “I reiterate that as the political leader of the [Armenian] parliamentary majority, I exclude a failure by Armenia’s parliament to ratify the protocols in case of their ratification by Turkey without preconditions in accordance with our understandings,” he said.

Turkey’s leaders claim that Armenia itself set such preconditions with its Constitutional Court’s interpretation of the protocols’ implications contained in a recent ruling. They have singled out the court’s conclusion that the deal can not stop Yerevan from seeking greater international recognition of the Armenian genocide.

“It’s only the Turks that are trying to find something in it,” Sarkisian scoffed during a question-and-asnwer session that followed his speech. “Nobody else, no other involved party, sees anything strange in that decision.”

Like other Armenian officials, Sarkisian suggested that Ankara is simply looking for an excuse to avoid normalizing relations with Yerevan before a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Would the Turks have been happy if our Constitutional Court had ruled that these protocols do not conform to Armenia’s constitution?” he said. “Maybe they would have been happy, seeing as they are trying to use every opportunity to torpedo the process.”

“I can’t understand why the Turks … attach so much importance to the Constitutional Court’s decision. It’s an integral part of our domestic decision-making process,” added the Armenian leader.

Ankara says Armenia’s highest court essentially prejudged the findings of an inter-governmental “subcommission” of history experts which the Armenian and Turkish governments plan to set up. Its establishment is one of the key provisions of the protocols.

“Did we say in those protocols that the Republic of Armenia calls into question the genocide?” countered Sarkisian. “Did we ever say during the negotiations that we are going to hamper the process of international recognition of the genocide? If the Turks think we did, it’s not our fault.”

In Yerevan, meanwhile, senior representatives of Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) reiterated that the National Assembly will not vote on the protocols before their endorsement by the Turkish parliament. Asked by RFE/RL’s Armenian service when the Sarkisian-controlled assembly might start debating them, Eduard Sharmazanov, the chief HHK spokesman, said: “Everything depends on the Turkish side.”

Razmik Zohrabian, a deputy chairman of the HHK, said the Turks have until the April 24 anniversary of the genocide to ratify the protocols or face their annulment by Armenia. “April is a deadline for the United States as well because Congress may recognize the Armenian genocide. That would be big blow to Turkey,” he said, predicting that Ankara will have to drop its preconditions by that time.

Failure to do that, Zohrabian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service, would lead Yerevan to declare the normalization process dead. “If the protocols are not ratified until then we will not have big expectations anymore,” he said.

Speaking at Chatham House, Sarkisian again rejected the Turkish linkage between protocol ratification and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying it is only undermining the two processes.

“I, however, believe that the rapid normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations can set an example of a proactive problem-solving attitude that will positively stimulate and set an example the resolution of the Karabakh conflict,” he said. “I would like to take one step further and inform you that I am going to invite [Azerbaijani] President Aliyev to the potential opening ceremony of the Armenian-Turkish border.”

The Karabakh conflict was another major theme of the hour-long speech, with Sarkisian accusing Azerbaijan of provoking an “extremely dangerous” arms race in the region and condemning Aliyev’s regular threats to resolve the dispute by force. He also ruled any out peaceful settlement that would result in Karabakh’s return under Azerbaijani rule.

“Azerbaijan has exhausted the resources of trust in terms of autonomous status for minorities within its boundaries,” he said. “It was not and is not capable of providing guarantees of even internal security to such autonomies.”

Sarkisian did not comment on chances for the signing of an Armenian-Azerbaijani framework agreement on Karabakh drafted by the American, French and Russian mediators. The latter have expressed hope that the conflicting parties will overcome their remaining differences this year.

http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/1954101.html

[Eddo211]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

“If, as many suspect, it is proven that Turkey’s goal is to protract, rather than to normalize relations, we will have to discontinue the process,”

Yes, that is how you say it.

“I reiterate that as the political leader of the [Armenian] parliamentary majority, I exclude a failure by Armenia’s parliament to ratify the protocols in case of their ratification by Turkey without preconditions in accordance with our understandings,”

He knows Turkey will bug out of it.

“It’s only the Turks that are trying to find something in it,” Sarkisian scoffed during a question-and-asnwer session that followed his speech. “Nobody else, no other involved party, sees anything strange in that decision.”

Telling it like it is......how does that pie in the face taste like Turkey?

Ankara is simply looking for an excuse to avoid normalizing relations with Yerevan before a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Would the Turks have been happy if our Constitutional Court had ruled that these protocols do not conform to Armenia’s constitution?” he said. “Maybe they would have been happy, seeing as they are trying to use every opportunity to torpedo the process.”

let the international community understand that Turkey cannot face the truth. Sweet

“Did we say in those protocols that the Republic of Armenia calls into question the genocide? Did we ever say during the negotiations that we are going to hamper the process of international recognition of the genocide? If the Turks think we did, it’s not our fault.”

Right on. Bullseye suckers

“April is a deadline for the United States as well because Congress may recognize the Armenian genocide. That would be big blow to Turkey,” he said, predicting that Ankara will have to drop its preconditions by that time.
“If the protocols are not ratified until then we will not have big expectations anymore,”

That is what I am talking about......give them ultimatum, they understand the lanquage.

“I would like to take one step further and inform you that I am going to invite [Azerbaijani] President Aliyev to the potential opening ceremony of the Armenian-Turkish border.”

hahahaha....oh this is classic.

He also ruled any out peaceful settlement that would result in Karabakh’s return under Azerbaijani rule.

In your face Aliyev.

I am so happy

Hail to the Chief

[Federate]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

Indeed, excellent speech by Serge Sargsyan! Here's the full official text of his speech in London if anyone's interested http://hetq.am/en/politics/eluyt/

[KarotheGreat]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

Read the whole thing on News.am thought it was good and he showed to the world that everything is depending on Turkey and the ball is in their camp. If Turkey makes one wrong step the lose a lot. So what ever happens we have won.

[ArmSurvival]

Re: News about Protocols... etc.

I always thought the diaspora was wrong when they claimed Sargsyan was going to "sell out" Armenia. That was total BS. However, my main fear was that he was going into the negotiations not knowing the full extent of what was about to take place, or maybe miscalculating the Turks' veiled schemes (come on I'm Armenian, I have to always assume the worst-case scenario).

Never have I been happier for being wrong. Not only did he turn last year's April 22 normalization signing into an April 24th ultimatum this year, he managed to avoid any preconditions through the Constitutional Court, and he threw all the international pressure onto Turkey's ratification, because he knows they don't want to normalize relations. He's even confident enough to take humorous jabs at Turkey & Azerbaijan in front of the world:

I would like to take one step further and inform you that I am going to invite [Azerbaijani] President Aliyev to the potential opening ceremony of the Armenian-Turkish border.

I can gladly say that I underestimated this man. In just a couple of months, Sargsyan might be the first leader in Armenian history to beat the Turks on the negotiation table.