24 April 2010, 12:00
Yerevan does not expect tough Ankara's response to frozen ratification of Protocols
The political elite of Turkey is still in search of answer to the decision of Armenia to stop the process of ratification of Armenian-Turkish Protocols. Hardly the Ankara's answer to this decision will be tough, believes Ruben Melkonyan, a well-known turcologist and deputy dean of the department of oriental studies of the Yerevan State University.
Melkonyan believes that restart of the Armenian-Turkish process should be expected in the second half of 2011, after the end of electoral processes and formation of the government of Turkey. According to the scientist, the parliamentary elections and constitutional reforms will result in serious systemic changes in the country.
Alexander Iskandaryan, Director of Institute of the Caucasus, also believes that the official Ankara will not make any motions and serious steps in the Armenian-Turkish process before the 2011 parliamentary elections. Making comments on possible Turkey's steps after Armenia's decision, the political scientist has noticed that the process was actually frozen back in January.
In the opinion of Yashar Yakysh, former foreign minister of Turkey, the Armenia's decision to freeze the ratification process was caused by the pressure of the Armenian Diaspora, which Yerevan was unable to resist.
Ahmed Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, has stated that the Yerevan's decision was unilateral, and "the position of Ankara in the issue Armenian-Turkish relations has remained unchanged."
Author: Lylyt Ovanisyan Source: CK correspondent
