During the press conference held precisely a month ago the representative of the Armenian National Congress Davit Shahnazaryan promised the journalists that when the date of ratification of the protocols in the RA NA approaches he will make a suggestion to the RA government, which they will have a hard time to turn down.
During yesterday’s press conference Shahnazaryan presented his two suggestions by emphasizing that those are his personal and not ANC’s. Mr. Shahnazaryan first said that he is pretty doubtful about the execution of the protocols signed in Zurich. “I personally have doubts about the realization of these protocols. I mean the provisions, which relate to Armenia because as for Turkey they have already started to work,” stated Shahnazaryan. In his words there are two serious issues in the current conditions. According to him, one of them is included in the protocols and in this regard the ANC has expressed its viewpoint since June of the last year. The provision on formation of Armenian-Turkish sub-commission on historical issues jeopardizes the process of reconciliation between the two countries. “RA historians will have fewer possibilities in the joint Armenian-Turkish sub-commission. Turkish historians can come to nothing more than denial of the Armenian Genocide, since the Turkish legislation envisages criminal prosecution for discussion of the Genocide issue,” he told a news conference. “To avert this danger, Armenian parliament should pass a law prohibiting Armenian officials from questioning the fact of the Genocide. Otherwise, such doubts will be the price the RA leadership agreed to pay for normalization of relations with Turkey,” Shahnazaryan said. “And no matter how hard the government tries to reject, the second issue is that the realization of the protocols is directly linked to the NKR conflict. This is a fact regardless of whether the government wishes to accept this or not,” mentioned Shahnazaryan as a second threat included in the protocols. But is there any chance to reduce these hazards, which are included in these protocols? He said that such a chance exists and his suggestions relate to that. Hence, the member of the Armenian National Congress proposes to the National Assembly to adopt a law banning any discussion on the genocide by the Armenian representatives of the interstate commissions. The Congress member says the Parliament does not have any ground to refuse this proposal, if it does, this will mean that the government anyway agreed with the Turkish government to hold discussions on the genocide. “The Turks need the creation of a historical commission in order to evaluate the Armenian Genocide and call it into question and they can’t act differently because Article 301 of Turkey’s Criminal Code will force them to lead a policy of denial or be brought to justice. That is why the RA National Assembly is obliged to adopt that law, especially when there is no basis for not adopting it. If that law is not passed, it will mean that the Turkish and Armenian sides have made an oral agreement to call into question one of the most disputed issues, that is, the fact of the Armenian Genocide," here is how formulated Shahnazaryan his first suggestion. He also added that he’s even able to submit the draft of this law. Moreover, Shahnazaryan had already prepared the draft and presented to the journalists. David Shahnazaryan’s next proposal referred to the ratification of the protocols. He says the Armenian National Assembly does not have to wait until the Turkish parliament ratifies them about which the Armenian government is already stating. According to Shahnazaryan, the Armenian government must ratify them first but with the condition that if within 2 months the Turkish government does not ratify them, the ratification of the Armenian parliament becomes forceless. Shahnazaryan says that in this case Armenia will repress Turkey. According to him, if the government does not accept his proposals it will mean that the NKR settlement and the Armenian-Turkish relations are connected. In his opinion the Turkish side will have to make a decision. If the Armenian government acts this way it will be a certain pressure on the Turkish Parliament. “I don’t see any reason why the Armenian government should refuse my suggestions unless they have a hidden agenda.” The latter also mentioned that in the past there were more or less similar suggestions but he didn’t agree with those. “Back then I didn’t support those suggestions but now those are necessary. And if now the government doesn’t agree with those it will mean that they have a covert agreement to cut the deal of the genocide via the sub-commission. And probably this is the process we are going through,” stated Shahnazaryan.