H. Abrahamyan: Turkey failed Armenian-Turkish initiative

Armenian President’s initiative to normalize the relations with Turkey were failed by Turkey, Armenian National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan said at a meeting with representatives of the Armenian community in London.

The parliament Speaker noted that Turkey put forward preconditions straight after signing the protocols in Zurich while no preconditions were mentioned during the negotiations preceding the signing ceremony. In spite of this, the Armenian side was ready to ratify the protocols, putting the protocols on the parliament’s agenda, but the Armenian President had to withdraw the protocols from the parliament’s agenda and to suspend the process due to Turkey’s ungrounded speculations.

“As to preconditions, I think the Armenian side has more moral grounds for putting forward preconditions to Turkey,” H. Abrahamyan said. “And the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is an issue of great moral significance, besides, it would help prevent the recurrence of genocides in every corner of the world.”

On March 14, H. Abrahamyan’s delegation is scheduled to meet with Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom, Baroness Helene Hayman, members of the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group. The Armenian parliamentary delegation will attend the plenary session of the House of Lords.