Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey without preconditions, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stated at the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament on March 16.

According to him, the evidence thereof is that Armenia’s signed the Protocols in Switzerland and the Armenian President announced the country’s readiness to ratify it. Moreover, Constitutional Court of Armenia approved the reached accords. Unfortunately, Turkey is obviously under pressure and is not yet ready for rapprochement with Armenia without preconditions,” he said.

Sargsyan also noted that Armenia is interested in Turkey’s progress in European integration. “We are interested to have a democratic neighbor, living according to developed market rules, European values, as it will ensure regional security and create more favorable conditions for Armenia’s development,” Sargsyan said. The Prime Minister stressed Armenia’s policy in this aspect has remained unchanged within the recent 20 years.

October 10, 2009, in Zurich, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Turkey signed the “Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations” and “Protocol for the development of bilateral relations”, which needed to be ratified by the parliaments of the two countries. However, it did not happen due to Ankara’s non-constructive position.