Yerevan Expects Answer from Ankara or it Will Cancel Protocols

The reason the famous Turkish analyst and Chief Editor of CNNTurk Mehmet Ali Birand gave priority to Armenia-Turkey Protocols in his recent visit to Yerevan is that he attaches much importance to them.

“I think there is no other smart way out of this genocide dead end for the two countries. Especially with April 24 approaching we don't know what the US Congress and President Obama will do in the genocide issue. And besides I think Turkish American relations in the short and long run and genocide issues threatening Turkey's image in the international public and the future of these protocols are far more vital than some infertile internal issues,” Birand writes in an article.

According to Birand the genocide issue will literally be frozen and put on a shelf, meaning Armenians will continue with their attitude in the genocide issue and Turks will continue denying it.

“Now that's where the beauty of the formula steps in: while the argument over genocide continues, the relationship will develop. Meaning diplomatic relations were to be established, borders opened, trade developed and in a later stage examinations made and a solution found in the genocide issue. But it didn't work out,” writes Birand.

Furthermore Birand recalls that “Azerbaijan showed reactions never seen before. Ankara was stunned about these reactions. When Prime Minister Erdoğan all of a sudden went to Baku and made the process come to a halt by explaining, under Aliyev's threatening looks, that the protocols can only be approved when the Karabağ issue progresses, which means a retrieval from at least 1 or 2 of the occupied 7 regions of the Armenian army. This means that Turkey linked the realization of the protocols to positive development in Armenian and Azerbaijani relations. This development caused for some uproar in Armenia.”

“According to Armenians there was no Karabağ condition. Turkey changed
the rules of the game after the game already started by taking sides with Azerbaijan ignoring its own signature. But the Turkish part kept saying that the Armenians implicitly knew that the Karabağ issue was always argued about even if it was not stated in a written form,” writes Birand, adding that Yerevan expects a written explanation from Turkey.

Will Ankara apply these protocols without any prerequisite or insist on the Karabağ condition, is not yet known. But according to Birand a meeting between Sarkisyan US President Barack Obama to be held in mid April upon a US invitation, as well as Obama's announcement on April 24, will influence the protocols.

At the end Birand cites an Armenian Deputy saying that after this meeting Armenian will decide what to do.

“We can't have the protocols wait in parliament for too long. Either Turkey will take a step or we'll ask for cancellation of the protocols," Birand cites the source as saying.