Armenian Reporter:

President consults political parties on Turkey relations

But protocols “aren’t subject to change”

From the opposition, only ARF participates

Published: Friday September 18, 2009

Sargsian Nalbandian parties Sept 17 2009

President Serge Sargsian addresses the leaders of over 50 political parties, as Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian looks on. He made a case for an agreement on bilateral relations negotiated with Turkey. September 17, 2009. Hayk Badalian / Photolure

Yerevan - As members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation continued a hunger strike in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a sit-in in front of the government building to protest the concessions agreed to by the Armenian government in exchange for an end to the Turkish blockade of Armenia, President Serge Sargsian on September 17 invited the leaders of dozens of political parties to discuss the latest developments in Armenia-Turkey relations.

"By inviting Turkey's president to Armenia [in 2008] and initiating this whole process, I intended to open a window of possibility to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey and to demonstrate that a people who have suffered genocide – the Armenian nation . . . in reality has enough power to be the first to extend a hand," Mr. Sargsian said.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had emphasized that it was not possible to make any changes or amendments to the agreements that had been negotiated, and that they would be signed as is.

"It is not possible to imagine that the parliament of any country conducts negotiations and makes changes based on the proposals presented by members of parliament," Mr. Nalbandian said from the podium of the National Assembly in response to a question addressed to him by the ARF's Vahan Hovhannesian. "If that were the case, then no negotiation process would have a conclusion, and we would not achieve anything. The protocols have been presented for public study, discussion. Members of parliament will have the opportunity to express their opinions during the discussions for ratification, and if the majority of the parliament agrees with you, then they will not ratify," he concluded.

On the grounds that consultations are meaningless if the protocols are not subject to amendment, the opposition Armenian National Congress and Heritage Party declined to participate in the meeting convened by the president. The ARF did participate, as did the Ramgavar Party of Armenia. The Hunchakian Party refused to take part.

In the last several days, supporters of Armenia's first president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, and some of the leaders of the ARF and Heritage Party publicly stated that the protocols were most likely forced upon Armenia. Former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said that if they had not been forced to sign, then he would have great difficulty imagining any Armenian diplomat signing such documents.

"During the course of the last few days I have become acquainted, in detail, with public statements expressing the most different opinions," President Sargsian said during his opening remarks to the leaders of over 50 political parties. "I have heard positive, encouraging statements. I have heard criticism, and sometimes serious criticism; I have also heard concerns. Of course, I also see the risks. I, too, have concerns," he said.

Except for the president's opening remarks, the discussions, which lasted almost five hours, were closed to the media. Toward the end, reporters were allowed to come back in to listen to comments being made by some of the representatives of the political parties.

"Where are we going?" Mr. Sargsian asked. "Personally, I am moving toward resolving issues. Many people have been asking questions: What is your minimal and maximal plan? I don't consider establishing diplomatic relations with Turkey and opening the borders a minimal or maximal plan. I see the conclusion of this process only as a way of securing the minimal atmosphere to ensure the possibility of beginning a dialogue with the Turks. We have a lot of issues to resolve regarding Armenian-Turkish relations – from economic, to political and historical."

Following the discussion, Armen Rustamian, a member of the ARF's Supreme Council, said that the party's concerns regarding the Armenian-Turkish protocols did not dissipate. The ARF has said repeatedly that the public negotiation process and the agreements reached are in Turkey's favor alone and very dangerous for Armenia.

The leader of the New Times Party, Aram Karapetian, was present at the discussion – even though his party is part of the Armenian National Congress. He said, "the authorities needed to have this discussion."

"There are two issues that are causing grave concern for the majority of political parties: the Genocide and Nagorno-Karabakh. Serge Sargsian's opening remarks and his remarks at the conclusion of the discussion were different in their content. In the first one it seemed that they had made no mistakes, that there were no changes necessary, and it was done on their initiative. In the second speech, he shared all the concerns and said that there was certainly pressure, the issues are all interconnected, and he had serious concerns about whether they can sustain this," Mr. Karapetian said.

The ruling Republican Party, as it has in the past, continues to present the protocols as a victory for President Sargsian and Armenia's foreign policy.

On October 1, the parliamentary Commission on Foreign Relations is organizing parliamentary hearings about Armenian-Turkish relations.

Turkish media are reporting that the protocols will be signed on October 14, prior to the Turkey-Armenia soccer match. If that happens, then the Armenian authorities will find themselves under a torrent of new criticism, because October 13 was that the day in 1921 when Soviet Armenia signed a document in Kars affirming the current border with Turkey.

After the signing of the protocols, they are subject to ratification by the parliaments of the two countries. Two months after they are ratified, if they are ratified, Turkey would be obligated to open the border with Armenia. Or, in the euphemistic phrase used in the protocols, the countries will have to open their common border.

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