A senior U.S. official called on Turkey and Armenia to ratify protocols signed last year to normalize relations.

Philip Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, told a press conference that Turkey and Armenia need to move forward in ratifying and implementing protocols signed last October on establishing diplomatic relations.

“We believe this is an opportunity to overcome historic differences between the two countries in a way that would benefit both,” Gordon said.

“To establish normalized relations between the two countries and open the border would contribute to peace and stability in the region, and we think that is true regardless of other issues – that it needs to move forward independently of other issues, simply because it is in the interest of the two countries,” he said. Read more…

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Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian called his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoğlu, on Wednesday to express concern and seek clarification over that statement.  But the exchange of words between them apparently has not solved the problems as the Turkish Foreign Ministry is now working to write a text proving its concerns based on the Armenian court’s decision. In Yerevan, Turkey’s moves have not been met with pleasure.

“Willing to proceed towards the ratification of the protocols, Armenia is hopeful that Turkey will show respect to the agreements achieved earlier,” Nalbandian told a news conference on Friday. “Turkey puts artificial obstacles in the way to avoid ratification. However, attempts to put the blame for frustrating the reconciliation process on Yerevan won’t gain any understanding.” Read more…

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Following Ankara’s initial reaction to a ruling by the top Armenian court on protocols between the two countries expected to pave the way for the normalization of relations, the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers have exchanged views, but the issue remains unresolved. 
 
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian called his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoğlu on Wednesday to express concern and seek clarification over a statement released on Monday evening by the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Davutoğlu told Nalbandian that Armenia’s constitutional court’s Jan. 12 decision contains unacceptable preconditions, underlining that Turkey has adhered to the spirit of the protocols signed between them on Oct. 10 in Zurich last year and expects the same from the Armenian side. Read more…

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The Turkish Foreign Ministry has stated that there are preconditions which contradict the letter and essence of the Armenian-Turkish protocols in the Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision approving the protocols signed between the two countries last year. 
 
The statement released by the Foreign Ministry Monday evening said: “The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia declared its decision of constitutional conformity on the protocols between Turkey and Armenia signed on Oct. 10, 2009 with a short statement on Jan. 12, 2010. The Constitutional Court has recently published its grounds of decision. It has been observed that this decision contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the protocols.” Read more…

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Foreign Ministry sources say the reference in an Armenian court decision to a declaration rejecting even the questioning of the 1915 killings of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire is against the essence of the normalization process with Yerevan

A top Armenian court’s reference to the 1915 killings of Armenians in its reasoned decision about the constitutionality of protocols that could pave the way for diplomatic relations with Turkey has drawn ire from Ankara.

“It has been observed that this decision contains preconditions and restrictive provisions that impair the objective and spirit of the protocols,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement late Monday. “This approach cannot be accepted on our part.” Read more…

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