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Hovhannes Igityan - Parliament Must be Dissolved to Delay Protocol Ratification
HHZh (Armenian National Movement) board member and former parliament MP Hovhannes Igityan stated today that, "It was at the insistence that the stipulation was included in the protocols that the document must be ratified by the parliaments of both Armenia and Turkey. International procedure indicates that such authority is granted the country’s president via the constitution. However, Turkey’s president included this stipulation, because the Turkish parliament will give flexibility to the executive body."Mr. Igityan states that international public opinion and the U.S. State Department recognizes the Turkish Parliament as an independent body expressing the will of the Turkish people. "If President Serzh Sargsyan attempts to use the same lever in Armenia, there is no rational person in this world that will not see the attempt as a game since the Armenian parliament is securely in his pocket," he argued.
On the other hand, Republican Party MP Rafik Petrosyan argued that such a stipulation was included in the protocol document because of the importance of the issue for the Armenian and Turkish peoples.
"The United States would never pressure a legitimate president since that person is seen as the embodiment of the people. But Serzh Sargsyan is regarded as an individual, a dictator and the regime, all rolled up in one," Mr. Igityan said and proposed that the RoA National Assembly be dissolved and that early presidential elections be held.
Mr. Igityan added, "The process continues and it is impossible to stop. The best we can do is delay it. If we dissolve the parliament at least we will buy us some time before ratifying the document."
The former MP said that Turkey pictures the establishment of regional peace as being linked to a settlement of the Karabakh conflict in favour of Azerbaijan. "Turkish officials continually make statements to this effect," he noted.
Mr. Petrosyan confessed that the Republican Party also had concerns that Turkey would push for a Karabakh settlement but that the protocols included no such precondition.
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