“Things worsened a year later”
On October 10, 2009, Armenia and Turkey signed protocols on normalizing bilateral relations and establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries in Zurich, Switzerland.
The parliaments of the two countries were expected to ratify the protocols within a year. However, Turkey immediately set preconditions, which made Armenian President withdraw the protocols from the RA National Assembly.
A year later, Turkish political circles speak about discontinuing talks with Armenia and rescinding the protocols.
Turkey's standpoint
Deputy of Tthe ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Zeynep Dağı thinks the Karabakh conflict should be eliminated as it hinders the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and threatens the stability of South Caucasus.
Member of the Republican People Party (CHP) Onur Öymen says Turkey has suffered great losses in the past year and the country should annul the documents to recover the situation.
"We know that some non-government organizations in Switzerland and USA are interested in Armenian-Turkish reconciliation and they constantly raise the issue of protocols to check our reaction," Öymen said.
In response to their efforts, Ankara attempts to better relations with Armenia, which is a wrong policy, he said.
Member of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Osman Durmus said he they would raise the issue of annulling the protocols in the Turkish parliament.
Armenia's standpoint
Kiro Manoyan, head of the ARF Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office, says Turkey has justified 80% of its hopes with the signing of protocols.
"First of all, I mean the issue of recognizing Armenian-Turkish border and setting up a commission to study the Armenian Genocide. Today the international community eyes these issues the way Turkey presents," he said.
Armenia's former Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanyan says the football diplomacy initiated by Armenia ended when the Armenian parliament decided to suspend the documents.
"Our authorities were to think about the consequences before putting their signatures in secret. They made a rough mistake but we need not assume the stance of an offended side. We should tell the international community that the border between the two countries remains closed and gives rise to new hostilities."
According to Mr. Arzumanyan, Turkey aims to activate its role in South Caucasus and become a full part to the talks on Karabakh.
"Today Ankara will advance if the Karbakh issue is settled," he said.
Kiro Manoyan says Armenia should withdraw its signature from the protocols while Alexander Arzumanyan thinks we should make the international community understand that the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border is in no way linked to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
