WASHINGTON (RFE/RL)–U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telephoned President Serzh Sarkisian late Thursday just hours after he threatened to annul Armenia’s fence-mending agreements with Turkey if Ankara fails to unconditionally implement them, it emerged on Friday.
Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan, Sarkisian said Ankara’s continuing linkage of the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict runs counter to the U.S.-backed agreements signed in October. He said he has already instructed his administration to draft amendments to Armenian laws that “pertain to the signing, ratification and abrogation of international agreements.”
According to Sarkisian’s press office, Clinton initiated the phone conversation to brief the Armenian leader on President Barack Obama’s Monday talks with the visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A U.S. official told RFE/RL that the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement topped the agenda of the talks.
“During the phone conversation, Secretary of State Clinton once again emphasized that the United States will continue with its consistent support for a speedy normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey without preconditions,” the presidential office said in a statement.
The statement said Sarkisian asked Clinton to express his “gratitude” to Obama for adhering to this position. It also cited him as reaffirming Yerevan’s readiness to press ahead with the normalization process and expressing hope that “the Turkish side will display similar readiness and responsibility.” There was no word on whether the two touched upon the Armenian threats to walk away from the deal.
In a letter to an Armenian-American organization publicized last week, Obama said the process “should move forward without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe.” According to Sarkisian’s office, Clinton likewise stated that Washington views the Turkish-Armenian normalization and efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as “separate processes.”
However, Erdogan insisted after the talks with Obama that from Ankara’s perspective, the two processes are “very much related.” He said Turkey’s parliament is unlikely to ratify the two Turkish-Armenian “protocols” unless there is a breakthrough in the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks.
The protocols commit Ankara to establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan and reopen the Turkish-Armenian border within two months of their entry into force. Neither document makes any direct reference to the Karabakh conflict.
Still, repeated pro-Azerbaijani statements made by Erdogan and other Turkish officials making the resolution of the conflict a requirement for normal relations point to the likelihood that Yerevan confidentially agreed to make more concessions to Azerbaijan during the fence-mending negotiations with the Turks. Sarkisian and his political allies strongly deny this.
The Sarkisian administration has also been on the defensive over a key protocol clause that envisages the formation of a Turkish-Armenian panel of historians that would look into the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide. Ankara has made no secret that it will exploit the existence of the body to deter more countries from recognizing the Genocide. Sarkisian insisted in a November 28 speech, however, that the rapprochement with Turkey will actually help Armenia and its worldwide Diaspora “accelerate the recognition process.”
Clinton has been personally involved in the drawing up and signing of the Turkish-Armenian protocols. She was among foreign dignitaries that attended the signing ceremony held in Zurich on October 10. The top U.S. diplomat already phoned Sarkisian in August and September to discuss the dramatic thaw in the historically strained Turkish-Armenian ties.
The devils trying to mediate!!
absolutely
She is so frightened that one of her foreign policy initiatives will be a flop like all the others.
She should have called Erdogan.
why should she, who is the weak side here?
She should have called Erdogan because unfortunately Armenia is following through with their side of the bargain in accepting the terms of the protocols whereas Erdogan is breaking his side of the agreement by adding preconditions.
So why should Clinton call Armenia? If she understood and appreciated Armenia’s complaint about Turkey’s attempt to add preconditions to the protocols she should have called erdogan and set him straight. But why would she do that when erdogan has clinton and obama on a tight leash?
They are all in this game together my friends and having a good laugh at our expense.
Megha Asdouzo
Hye Serge, the Genocide of the Armenian nation by the Ottoman Turks and the subsequent denials by all the Turkish leadership since the Genocide – 1915-2009 is not even to be considered to be debateable! The world knows there was the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman mentality leadership then – still and into today – the world has it in all their histories, in all their Archival records of the witnesses to the vile crime of man’s inhumanity to man as was the Turks mode of ‘eliminating’ a Christian nation. A nation which the Turks needed to ‘take over’
as if the culture and more of the Armenians shall then belong as if belonging to the Turks – to gain as a ‘ready made’ nation for the Turk to ‘move’ their Asian hordes – replacing Armenians.
Until today 2009 the Turks are obsessivly, since before 1890s, in pursuit of ‘eliminating the Christian Armenians from their own lands of nearly 4,000 years. The Turks resort to the vilest
lies, the most dishonest claims, and are unrepentent and unashamed for all the lives they deliberately murdered, defiled and more. Turkish leadership of today are of the ancient Ottoman ilk – still today Ottoman in all their thinking. They truly believe they are worthy of the respect of the nations of the world – these nations shall recognize who the Turks are today when in reality – they shall know the Turk is the Turk is the Turk – worse yet, Ottoman Turk.
Incapable of alliances, incapable of agreements made/unmade/unsigned over years.. even into today – changing the rules of the game, the Protocols, in mid-stream – bullying all.
Manooshag
i am wondering if she started by saying: “… whatever you are doing right now, bla bla…”. in 2000 during monica lewinsky active period she was tape-recorded talking in this way on phone.
it is disgusting when woman is a part of immoral play: erdogan publicly is let to say whatever he wants. after she and her employee (gordon) do non-public massaging to calm down “naive and unimportant (gordon’s evaluation of the Armenians) nation. how she will be raising her grandkids? tragic woman, indeed.
This phone call l make Serzhik rescind his warning to erdogan. I wonder what she know that we don’t know about Serzhik or Eduard?
Hi Manooshag
Armenians were there from day one
there is all kind of proof for that
It was more than 4 thousand years.
They were not called Armenians but they were the same Armenians as us.
Israel very soon will introduce videos pictures and new documents of the Armenian Genocide as we speak
and the world will soon see the truth and hear the truth . As for Mrs. clinton yes she should of called
et b….i txun to inform him of ehats going on and what will happen if Armenian backs down from these protocols due to turkeys foot dragin and this will be a big PR=public relations mess for turkey and the world will see again how turks like to use these protocols to drag the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and as far as some of us are concerned if erdogan new that he can use his wife to drag the recognition of the Armenian Genocide he would do that to.
After all these years of denying Armenian Genocide,Israel has now done so,when the Turks kissed her off as an ally.Its like having two snakes in the same vase…….
Harout, where and when will your above mentioned pictures and documents be released? It will be interesting for all Armenians. Thak you.
harute I am not sure about izrael recognaising it, probably they are palying a game with turkey because turkey’s policy in the middle east and etc, anyway at the end of the day they planed and financed the genocide not the turks, anybody aware of Enver, Talat, Jemal, Wehib, Sa3id Halim pashas origines?! they were all dunmas, (DOGHA) jews zionists supposed to convert to islam for soem reason!!!!!! and the young turks is just a zionist masonic organisation, the temple of the Grand East in Istanbul and salonica. these are just a little information about our problem in the world, everyone must know it.
Ms Clinton
Enough pressure on Armenia. Stop playing double rol
Don’t repeat oct.10th be away
The whole phone conversation is a publicity stunt, the US and Armenian government are against Armenia’s interests!
Armenians have woken up to your antiques Mrs. Clinton. Stop pressuring the Armenians for your personal political gains. It is time you resigned! As one of my compatriots rightly mentions above, as a politician you are a ‘FLOP’, and your BOSS does not speak the truth about the Armenian Genocide. Whatever happened to American righteousness, liberty and democracy????????????
It is absolutely out of this world as to what is happening…
Clinton definitely made that call to calm the waters once again and sugar coat the truth.. She does not want Sarkissyan to flip and ruin her master minded plan of lies, hidden agendas, and coersed protocols.
It will be interesting to see how this pans out..
Ay Ay Ay..
G
Turkey has its own foreign policy. They don’t care what the world will say if they dragged their feet and caused the protocols to fail; as long as their plan succeeded in derailing the recognition og Armenian genocide worlwide. They never intended to open the borders unless they had total capitulation by Armenia vis a vis Karabakh, the borders and the genocide.
As to Secretary Clinton, she should have come out immediately and criticised Erdogan and pressured him to drop the Karabakh precondition; and then call Serze. The mere fact that she is calling the side that is adherant to the agreement and not the one who is breaking it, signals that US administration has already decided to bury the genocide, and give Turkey card blanche to play politics with the region. I hope Israel wakes up and takes action otherwise the same politics is on their doorstep.
She is bad news! She is a jinx!
I agree with Harout. Israel is not a happy bunny after Erdogan threatened her with “earthquake”. All the so called Turkish “friends” are finding out just what Turkey is made from “A stuffed bird” and are thinking of returning their “compliments” to their estwhile “friend”.
Obama administration wants to know whether Azerbaijani military forces are going to attack Republic of Armenia.
If Americans want to prove the Islamic world that they are not against the muslims this can not be done on Armenia’s account sooner or later the same Turks will ivade Iraq the moment the American Army leaves the country
This cause belongs to ARMENIANS all around the world not Sarkisian
ignore all PROTOCOLS all DIALOGES MUST PARTICIPATE DIASPORA
ARMENIANS BY PRECENSE A.R.F.
Secretery State Hillary Clinton, before US presidential election, for collection of Armenianvotes pretending she wil recognize Armenian Cenoside if she elected. She is not only failed,on her promisess, instead worked hard, formulated an agreement called Armenian Turklsh protocol, with porpuse of opening common border & initiating normal relations, the process has been down in complete secret & in the asense n of Armenian nation, when it disclosed entire Armenian nation protested & rejected it, in spite of protest the imposed protocol has been signed between parties, & Mis Clinton was the person who pulled her counterpart Mr Nalbandian from his rsidence into her car convince, come & sign the protocol
I am confused, Mis Clinton continously repeating, there is no precondition on Armenian Turkish related normalizatin process. It seemes she is pronounceing the protocol is voide & unacceptable , because content of the protocol is already
;conditioned ” for openinc the bopder, or otherwise what? Mis Clinton is lying &
laughing to public? That border was open, Turky uniletralyshot it down for self entertainment? or acted with the purpose of fending ilegitimate self interest condition imposed?
It is realy surprising Mis Clinton proclaimed she will recognize Armenian Genoside, but on the contrary of the Armenian Turkish protocol it is reflected commission for verifying Genoside, as she envisages the protocol, herself
sucumbed practiceing, Why she is saying commission? combination of condition on the agreement & denial of the Genoside.
Also on the imposed protocol, the article which discribes Armenia has no any
teritorial claim against Turkey, while Mis Clinton endosees, it explicitly relevants US President Wodrow Wilsons, award mandate which determines Armenias border, so Mis Clinton by her behavior, voids, corrupts
& distorts President Wodrow Wilson mandate, causing great amount of
losses by supressing Armenias right & ignoring Armenians protest, more possibly in violation of United States constitution, still saying no
condition exerted or imposed to Armenia, for border opening.
Armenias border, so mis Clinto by her behavior voids, corrups & distorts President Wodrow Wilsons mandate
SDAKHOSIN DOUNE AYREE HAVADATZOGH CHELLAR
Today I wasn’t in the mode to comment,but after reading some of the response’s , I have to. and before I say anything let me say ,you are all wonderfull and concerned.
Some of us are asking Mrs.Clinton to resign, as if she is the president , or the vice president of Armenia . Mrs. Clinton is an experinced diplomat , like it our not , and for her , controlling the Oil fields of Azerbijan, is a national urgencey , to sustain the supreme position of the U.S for years to come .
Now why Israel has not shown movies and pictures about the Armenian genocide Since the day Erdogan told his friend in denial Perez ,that Israel know’s how to kill the children of Gaza ,or when Israel was banned from the military excercize’s ,or when turkey opened its borders with Syria , Jordan,Iran,Sudan and the entire radicals of the moslem world rejoiced the reborn of the ottoman’s, Why they have not recognize the Genocide ? is it because Armenia is a broken country! it’s leadership is bankrupt ,and it’s nation divided.
if we can not play our cards , what benefit we could offer the world, unfortunately poltics does not reward kindness , innocence , or emotions ,we should all know that.
Hillary is nervous. She sees her Nobel Peace Prize going down the tubes along with the protocols.