Armenia refuses Protocols on normalization of relations with Turkey

Baku / 13.12.17 / Turan: Armenia is preparing to abandon the previously signed Armenian-Turkish protocols on the normalization of bilateral relations, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated this at the Greek Foreign Ministry.

"As you know, the process of normalizing relations with Turkey started on the initiative of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, which led to the signing of the Zurich protocols in 2009. Nevertheless, these documents have not yet been ratified, since Turkey has put forward groundless preconditions that are contrary to the letter and spirit of the protocols. These protocols cannot remain forever hostage, and for this reason, the Armenian president stated in September from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly that Armenia will declare them null and void, and we will meet in the spring of 2018 without these protocols," Nalbandian said.

The protocols envisaged the opening of borders, the restoration of relations at the level of diplomatic relations and the creation of full-fledged relations in the political and economic spheres. These documents provoked sharp protests from Baku, which urged Ankara to demand from Armenia to liberate the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. After Ankara's demands to fulfill these conditions, Yerevan declared the impossibility of the implementation of the Zurich protocols. -02D-