Armenia-Turkey normalization is of great significance in the light of the regional and international aspects, RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan stated in his speech at the Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament.

“Unfortunately, today Turkey is not ready to go through the process without preconditions, conforming to the spirit of the Armenia-Turkey accords, signed in Zurich through the international mediation, opening the only closed border in Europe,” Abrahamyan said.

According to him, Armenia attaches great significance to the international mediation towards this initiative and striving to maintain the chances of reconciliation, is ready to complete the process, if Turkey displays political will and positive moves are made in this direction.

“Adhering to the principles and Protocol commitments, the Republic of Armenia immediately included the ratification process of the protocols in the agenda of the Armenian National Assembly. The international community appreciated high Armenia’s constructive stance,” Abrahamyan said. “Unfortunately Turkey not only failed to register a progress in the process over the last year, but also set out preconditions, having nothing in common with the Protocols’ provisions.

Taking into account the irrelevant protractions of the documents’ ratification by Turkey within a reasonable timeframe, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan withdrew the Protocols from the parliamentary agenda, but preserved the signature, at that respecting the mediators’ high prestige.

The Armenian NA Speaker stressed Armenia-Turkey rapprochement will greatly contribute to the improvement of security and cooperation in the region. He applied to the committee members, expecting EU will be more consistent with the establishment of border opening and Armenia-Turkey relations without preconditions.