Yesterday, August 31, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Armenian and Turkish Foreign Ministries issued Protocols on Armenian-Turkish relations’ establishment and development. The point on operating the sub-commission of historians on Genocide issue examination raises concern, Alexander Arzumanyan, Former Foreign Minister and opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) representative told the journalists.

According to him, certain news leak on the issue after ‘roadmap’ signing April 22, 2009 occurred. “For almost ten years Turkey offers Armenian authorities to set up a commission of historians to discuss Genocide issue. It is unacceptable. There is not a single Armenian to dispute the historical fact of Genocide. Thus, the idea of such a commission should have been initially rejected,” Arzumanyan emphasized.

ANC representative also drew attention to other provisions in Armenian-Turkish Protocols that raise serious concern. “Firstly opposition has repeatedly stated Armenian-Turkish relations should not be anyhow linked with Karabakh problem. Secondly, the sides should not lay down any preconditions. Both sides state the relations should be settled with no preconditions, meanwhile doing so,” the oppositionist underlined. Commenting on the six weeks mentioned in the Protocols and Armenia-Turkey football match concurrence, Arzumanyan said the fact would enable Serzh Sargsyan to save his face stating of the Armenian-Turkish relations’ normalization closeness.

Former Foreign Minister supposes the provision on the Protocols’ ratification once signed is unclear. “There is no such tradition in international law. Protocol on diplomatic relations’ establishment does not need to be ratified by the Parliament,” Arzumanyan concluded, adding, that Armenia has diplomatic relations with 140 countries and there is a treaty signed with each state, at that not a single one was ratified by the Parliament.