Ankara will remain committed to protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia aiming to normalize bilateral relations, Turkish Foreign ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç has said, after Yerevan recently decided to withdraw the Armenian-Turkish protocols from the Armenian Parliament, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.
Bilgiç told reporters on Feb. 17 that Yerevan has decided to withdraw the Protocol on Establishing of Diplomatic Relations and the Protocol on Developing Relations in order “to create a reason to accuse Turkey” ahead of the 100th anniversary of the massacres of Ottoman Armenians, which Armenia recognizes as genocide.
“Turkey disagrees with the attitude taken by the Armenian side,” he said, describing Yerevan’s step as “wrong and unfortunate.”
The move displays Armenia’s “incoherent and insincere” stance, Bilgiç stated, adding that “Turkey will remain loyal to the protocols.”
Sargsyan said in a statement that Armenia would not ratify the agreement because of the “preconditions” that Turkey is putting in place before it ratifies its side of the deal.
