The Turkish Foreign Office’s statement that the RA Constitutional Court’s verdict contains wordings running counter to the bilateral protocols does not correspond to the facts, Sergey Minasyan, Deputy Director of the Institute of Caucasus, told NEWS.am.

“The Constitutional Court’s verdict can be viewed in a legal aspect and in the domestic political context. It is a necessary condition for the protocols to be submitted to Parliament,” Minasyan said.

According to him, a similar situation developed when the Turkish Government submitted the protocols to the Turkish Parliament. “A cover letter submitted to the Turkish Parliament indicated facts that might be interpreted as running counter to the protocols, but Yerevan interpreted that as the Turkish Government’s attempt to present the protocols in a favorable light,” Minasyan said.

The RA Constitutional Court only confirmed the constitutionality of the documents, and its verdict allows the Parliament to ratify the protocols. “On the other hand, we should realize that the Turkish side will take any opportunity to delay the ratification, if not frustrate it at all,” the expert said.

Minasyan said that official Yerevan can only respond through the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which can express hope for further dialogue. According to him, the Turkish Foreign Office’s statement is a propaganda one.

“To refuse the ratification Turkey must have much more convincing arguments. It is clear that the Turkish Foreign Office’s statement cannot be taken seriously. It can only be viewed as an act of information to explain to the international community Turkey’s efforts not to expedite the process,” Minasyan said.

T.P.