National Assembly first to ratify?
The RA National Assembly must be the first to ratify the Turkish-Armenian Protocols, says representative of the Armenian National Congress David Shahnazaryan.
However, Shahnazaryan believes that the National Assembly must do that under the condition that Turkey ratifies and implements the protocols within two months.
"After that, the Turkish side will be forced to take a decision and yes, this will be certain pressure on the Turkish parliament. It is high time that Armenia tries to show some independence and not go along with the events," says David Shahnazaryan.
Besides that, Shahnazaryan proposes another bill that refers to the creation of a historical commission. He proposes that before ratification, the National Assembly adopt a law according to which the "RA state bodies and officials will not have the right to participate in any discussion during which the fact of Genocide will be denied or called into question", otherwise, they will be brought to justice by established order.
According to David Shahnazaryan, the Turks need the creation of a historical commission in order to evaluate the Armenian Genocide and call it into question and they can't act differently because Article 301 of Turkey's Criminal Code will force them to lead a policy of denial or be brought to justice.
That is why, according to David Shahnazaryan, the RA National Assembly is obliged to adopt that law, especially when there is no basis for not adopting it. If that law is not passed, it will mean that the Turkish and Armenian sides have made an oral agreement to call into question one of the most disputed issues, that is, the fact of the Armenian Genocide."
