Armenia, Turkey Agree On Protocol To Establish Diplomatic Relations

The three foreign ministries working with Swiss mediation have posted the following.

Berne, Yerevan, Ankara 31 August 2009

The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey have agreed to start their internal political consultations on the two protocols – the “Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations” and the “Protocol on the development of bilateral relations” – which have been initialled in the course of their efforts under Swiss mediation.

The two Protocols provide for a framework for the normalization of their bilateral relations within a reasonable timeframe. The political consultations will be completed within six weeks, following which the two Protocols will be signed and submitted to the respective Parliaments for the ratification on each side. Both sides will make their best efforts for the timely progression of the ratification in line with their constitutional and legal procedures.

The normalization of bilateral relations will contribute to regional peace and stability. The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey are committed to pursuing their joint efforts with the assistance of Switzerland.

Last year on September 6th Turkish president Abdullah Gul visited Armenia by the invitation of the Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan to watch the soccer match between the two national teams. Armenian president hailed the visit as a symbolic start of relations between the two nationals which had been severely damaged because of the Armenian genocide in 1915 and never repaired. Turkish president Gul invited the Armenian president to visit Turkey to watch the return soccer match between Armenia and Turkey together, which is due in October of 2009.

However, since the Turkish side did not move on with the development of relations and the border between the two countries still remains closed from the Turkish side, the Armenian president repeatedly had said that he does not see a reason to travel to Turkey if the later side does not have a sincere desire to repair the relations.

Turkey denies the Armenian genocide despite the acknowledgment of it by numerous countries (including many EU countries) and genocide scholarship associations. Armenia says its ready to start normal diplomatic relations without any conditions, even before Turkey recognizes the pains the genocide has caused to the Armenian nation by the Ottoman and Young Turkish governments.

In any case, this is a welcome move by the two countries and a good start toward peace and stability in the region.

Written by Armen Hareyan