ArmInfo. The issues of Armenian-Turkish relations normalization must not be linked to Karabakh, answering the question of ArmInfo about possible consequences exacerbation of the situation in the zone of the Karabakh conflict for normalization Armenian-Turkish relations, head of political department of the EU delegation to Armenia Dirk Lorenz stated.
"This is the basis of the Zurich protocols. I believe that it is necessary to develop a protocol that would bypass the Karabakh conflict and the tragic events of 1915 (the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire - Ed.). Of course, the problems must be resolved in order to have long-term and peaceful relations in the region, but I do not believe that we should wait for this settlement. I believe that the process of normalization should be launched today", the Diplomat said.
Touching upon Zurich protocols on normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, without any narration, Lorenz noted that the recall of the protocols from the Parliaments of the two states does not mean the elimination of them. According to him, the protocols may be reanimated at any time. "There is no serious reason not to present the protocols in the parliaments of the two states. I remember the relations between Germany and Poland after the WWII, however, now we have friendly relations between the two societies. I think that the political decision is not enough for the normalization, you should get in touch with the society", Lorenz said.
He recalled that Armenia and EU agreed to have political dialogue on a number of issues including the relations with its neighbor Turkey. "Armenia should have political dialogue with Turkey. I consider that open borders will be profitable for both Armenian and Turkish societies. I define the future of Armenian- Turkish relations as optimistic. We always hope for the best, especially after the constitutional referendum in Turkey", Lorenz summed up.
To remind, on October 10, 2009 Armenian and Turkish foreign Ministera Edward Nalbandian and Ahmet Davutoghlu signed a Protocol on Diplomatic Relations Setting and the Protocol on Bilateral Relations Development in Zurich (Switzerland). The documents mentioned set forth the conditions for the establishment of Joint Commission on Investigation of 1915 Armenian Genocide. But the Protocols were not ratified by Armenian and Georgian parliaments, because Ankara used to set preconditions for that ratification any time. In this respect the process of ratification at Armenian National Assembly was frozen, and in February 2015 were withdrawn from the Parliament.