Ratification of Armenian-Turkish protocols will contribute to economic development of both countries: European Commission
11.10.2011,
20:25
The ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols will contribute to the economic development of both countries and the region as a whole, Onno Simons, European Commission’s charge d'affaires in Armenia said today. Speaking at a round table discussion On
YEREVAN, October 11. / ARKA /. The ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols will contribute to the economic development of both countries and the region as a whole, Onno Simons, European Commission’s charge d'affaires in Armenia said today. Speaking at a round table discussion Onno Simons said the process started to normalize the Armenian-Turkish relations did not continue and had no positive results for either side.
According to Simons, the opening of the border will benefit Turkey in the first place.
"Due to the involvement of the European Union in the Armenia-Turkey process, Turkey receives a stimulus and interest to open border and improve relations with Armenia in order to join the EU,’ he said.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally, Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan. There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara’s blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process and Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as a genocide.
The thaw in the strained relations began in 2008 September after Turkish president Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia, at his counterpart’s invitation, to watch together with Serzh Sargsyan the 2010 World Cup qualifying football game between the two countries’ national teams. In 2009 October Armenia and Turkey signed two protocols in Zurich.
They committed the two neighboring nations to establish diplomatic relation and open the Turkish-Armenian border which Ankara closed in 1993 in a show of support for Azerbaijan. The Turkish government has repeatedly made clear that it will not ensure the protocols' ratification by Turkey's parliament before a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Baku. Yerevan rejects this linkage, saying that it contradicts the letter and the spirit of the U.S.-backed agreements. Citing the Turkish precondition, president Serzh Sargsyan suspended the process of Armenian parliamentary ratification of the protocols in April 2009. But he stopped short of formally annulling them. -0-
According to Simons, the opening of the border will benefit Turkey in the first place.
"Due to the involvement of the European Union in the Armenia-Turkey process, Turkey receives a stimulus and interest to open border and improve relations with Armenia in order to join the EU,’ he said.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally, Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan. There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara’s blatant support of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process and Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as a genocide.
The thaw in the strained relations began in 2008 September after Turkish president Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia, at his counterpart’s invitation, to watch together with Serzh Sargsyan the 2010 World Cup qualifying football game between the two countries’ national teams. In 2009 October Armenia and Turkey signed two protocols in Zurich.
They committed the two neighboring nations to establish diplomatic relation and open the Turkish-Armenian border which Ankara closed in 1993 in a show of support for Azerbaijan. The Turkish government has repeatedly made clear that it will not ensure the protocols' ratification by Turkey's parliament before a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Baku. Yerevan rejects this linkage, saying that it contradicts the letter and the spirit of the U.S.-backed agreements. Citing the Turkish precondition, president Serzh Sargsyan suspended the process of Armenian parliamentary ratification of the protocols in April 2009. But he stopped short of formally annulling them. -0-
