Oppositional parties again join efforts against Armenian-Turkish protocols
The future of the protocols is now in the hands of Armenia’s Constitutional Court.
A group of Armenian oppositional parties and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGO) released a joint statement today against the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, saying that the protocols favor Turkish “preconditions” detrimental to Armenia.
“They (preconditions) are as follows: to make the issue of the Armenian Genocide a topic of discussion, and to legalize the current Armenian-Turkish illegal border. Besides, day by day Turkey gets more opportunities to interfere in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and it tries to extort concessions from Armenia which are favorable for Azerbaijan,” the statement says, which was shared by some 13 political parties including Heritage, Armenian Democratic Party, Social-Democratic “Hnchak” party, Ramkavar-Azatakan (Lib-Dem) and others.A group of Armenian oppositional parties and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGO) released a joint statement today against the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, saying that the protocols favor Turkish “preconditions” detrimental to Armenia.
“They (preconditions) are as follows: to make the issue of the Armenian Genocide a topic of discussion, and to legalize the current Armenian-Turkish illegal border. Besides, day by day Turkey gets more opportunities to interfere in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and it tries to extort concessions from Armenia which are favorable for Azerbaijan,” the statement says, which was shared by some 13 political parties including Heritage, Armenian Democratic Party, Social-Democratic “Hnchak” party, Ramkavar-Azatakan (Lib-Dem) and others.
Armen Rustamyan, representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party (the main opponent of the protocols) states that their struggle will continue at the Constitutional Court of Armenia, where currently the protocols are being studied. Later in case the protocols are ratified at the National Assembly of Armenia, ARF says it will demand a change of power.
Currently the Constitutional Court of Armenia is studying the Armenian-Turkish protocols (signed on October 10 in Zurich) on the establishment of diplomatic relations and development of bilateral relations. Within 25 days the Court must establish a date for evaluating the protocols. Within maximum three months the Constitutional Court must decide whether the protocols have terms contradicting the Armenian Constitution. If the Court decides that there are not any contradicting terms, the National Assembly will start the protocols’ ratification process.
Rustamyan thinks that the Constitutional Court must take into consideration the fact that the protocols contradict the main principles of Armenia’s statehood and the national goals fixed by the Armenian Constitution.
“Besides, Article 83.5 (procedure and terms for concluding and denouncing the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia) of the Armenian Constitution is violated,” Rustamyan says hoping that the Constitutional Court will determine that the responsibilities that Armenia must take according to the protocols, contradict the Armenian Constitution.
Stepan Safaryan, MP of Heritage Faction, in his speech stated that the oppositional parties started their struggle against the protocols separately, however, he hoped that from now on their efforts would be joined, and they would prevent the ratification of the protocols together.
“They (preconditions) are as follows: to make the issue of the Armenian Genocide a topic of discussion, and to legalize the current Armenian-Turkish illegal border. Besides, day by day Turkey gets more opportunities to interfere in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and it tries to extort concessions from Armenia which are favorable for Azerbaijan,” the statement says, which was shared by some 13 political parties including Heritage, Armenian Democratic Party, Social-Democratic “Hnchak” party, Ramkavar-Azatakan (Lib-Dem) and others.A group of Armenian oppositional parties and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGO) released a joint statement today against the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, saying that the protocols favor Turkish “preconditions” detrimental to Armenia.
“They (preconditions) are as follows: to make the issue of the Armenian Genocide a topic of discussion, and to legalize the current Armenian-Turkish illegal border. Besides, day by day Turkey gets more opportunities to interfere in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and it tries to extort concessions from Armenia which are favorable for Azerbaijan,” the statement says, which was shared by some 13 political parties including Heritage, Armenian Democratic Party, Social-Democratic “Hnchak” party, Ramkavar-Azatakan (Lib-Dem) and others.
Armen Rustamyan, representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party (the main opponent of the protocols) states that their struggle will continue at the Constitutional Court of Armenia, where currently the protocols are being studied. Later in case the protocols are ratified at the National Assembly of Armenia, ARF says it will demand a change of power.
Currently the Constitutional Court of Armenia is studying the Armenian-Turkish protocols (signed on October 10 in Zurich) on the establishment of diplomatic relations and development of bilateral relations. Within 25 days the Court must establish a date for evaluating the protocols. Within maximum three months the Constitutional Court must decide whether the protocols have terms contradicting the Armenian Constitution. If the Court decides that there are not any contradicting terms, the National Assembly will start the protocols’ ratification process.
Rustamyan thinks that the Constitutional Court must take into consideration the fact that the protocols contradict the main principles of Armenia’s statehood and the national goals fixed by the Armenian Constitution.
“Besides, Article 83.5 (procedure and terms for concluding and denouncing the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia) of the Armenian Constitution is violated,” Rustamyan says hoping that the Constitutional Court will determine that the responsibilities that Armenia must take according to the protocols, contradict the Armenian Constitution.
Stepan Safaryan, MP of Heritage Faction, in his speech stated that the oppositional parties started their struggle against the protocols separately, however, he hoped that from now on their efforts would be joined, and they would prevent the ratification of the protocols together.