U.S. welcomes controversial ruling of RA CC judgment on the Protocols on January 12, that effectively dismisses Turkey’s claims that conflicts Turkey-Armenia agreements on relations’ normalization.

“We view the court decision as a positive step forward in the ratification process of the normalization protocols between Turkey and Armenia. The court decision permits the protocols, as they were negotiated and signed, to move forward towards parliamentary ratification, and does not appear to limit or qualify them in any way,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon said in written comments sent to RFE/RL. “We are confident that both Turkey and Armenia take their commitment to the protocols seriously, and we urge timely ratification of the protocols by both countries,” Gordon outlined.

As NEWS.am reported previously, January 19, Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement criticizing the decision by RA Constitutional Court on Armenia-Turkey Protocols. ‘This decision contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols. The said decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these Protocols as well as their fundamental objective," the statement reads.

Recently, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to freeze reconciliation with Armenia if RA Constitutional Court does not change its decision on the Protocols.

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu and expressed his bewilderment on the Turkish Foreign Office’s statement. “I hope Turkish side does not try to justify its continuous efforts in setting forth preconditions and veil unnecessary protraction of the Protocols’ ratification,” Nalbandian noted.

L.A.