Armenia retreats from rapproachment with Turkey

On 25 February, the Armenian Parliament dramatically overturned its previously stated objective of rapprochement with Turkey. Despite having accused Turkey on multiple occasions of inserting preconditions into ratification of the protocols, signed in April, Thursday saw the Armenian parliament vote in amendments aimed at scrapping the protocols. The amendments, passed by a heavy majority of 70–4, will enable Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to suspend ratification and
withdraw from previously signed international agreements.

The decision comes in complete contrast to Sargsyan’s previous statements, which pointed the finger firmly at Turkey. This stance was evidenced during his polemical speech at Chatham House on 10 February, when he stated: “As the political leader of the political majority of the Armenian Parliament, I reiterate that I rule out any possibility of the Armenian Parliament failing to ratify the protocols.”

Such a decision has come as a relief to Ankara, which is insistent that rapprochement is dependent on the return of the Azerbaijani territories of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, illegally occupied by Armenia since 1994.

This move bears out the view of Ahmet Davutoglu, Foreign Minister, Turkey, expressed during his recent speech at King’s College, London. He explained that the opposition, and much of his own ruling AKP party, had vetoed ratification, and it had proved impossible to convince parliaments, both in Turkey and Armenia. Yerevan still claims that the Turks committed genocide against the
Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

Davutoglu explained: “At the present time, 20% of Azerbaijani territory is under Armenian occupation. Nagorno-Karabakh and the occupied regions are Azerbaijani territory under international law. If there is no progress, normalisation of relations is impossible, as we will not achieve parliamentary support. We need a system of full economic dependence to be established throughout the region, together with political dialogue. Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia must collaborate to represent the views of the Caucasus.”


/European Azerbaijan Society/