Armenian president suspends Armenia-Turkey protocols' ratification procedure

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on suspension of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols' ratification at the Parliament, the presidential press service informed, News Armenia reported. 

"On April 22, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on suspension of the Armenia-Turkey Protocols' ratification signed in Zurich last October on "Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey" and "Protocol on Development of Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey. The decree delegates RA Foreign Ministry to notify the Republic of Turkey of the ratification process suspension," the statement says.

Now, the time has come to gauge the notion of a "reasonable timeframe", and Armenia believes the reasonable timeframes have elapsed, Armenian president said.

"A year has passed since the Armenian-Turkish-Swiss joint statement on steps to normalize the relations between Armenia and Turkey. During this period, the two Protocols aimed at normalization of the relations have been publicized, discussed in the public domain, and signed. The documents have for quite a lengthy time now been in the parliaments of Armenia and Turkey, awaiting ratification," says the statement by the president.