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Armenian president withdraws protocols on diplomatic ties with Turkey from parliament

The protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and development of bilateral relations were earlier submitted to Armenia’s National Assembly for ratification

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan ITAR-TASS/Alexei Nikolsky

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan

© ITAR-TASS/Alexei Nikolsky

YEREVAN, February 16. /TASS/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Monday decided to withdraw from the country’s parliament protocols aimed at establishing diplomatic ties with Turkey.

Sarksyan notified Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan of the decision, the president's administration said.

Read also

Armenian President urges EU to put pressure on Turkey for recognition of 1915 genocide

The protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and development of bilateral relations were earlier submitted to Armenia’s National Assembly for ratification.

The relations of the two countries have been overshaddowed by Turkey's refusal to recognize the 1915 genocide that took away the lives of 1.5 million people. The first genocide of the 20th century has been recognized and condemned by a number of states. International recognition and condemnation of the 1915 genocide that took away the lives of 1.5 million people is a priority of Armenia’s foreign policy, since its authorities believe that a policy of this kind prevents crimes against humanity.

The Turkish government refuses to admit the Ottoman Empire’s wrongdoings and sizes them up as legitimate actions towards the Armenian population of the empire, which sympathized with and supported Russia amid the flaring World War I.

Armenia and Turkey, which have a 330-kilometers-long common border, have not established diplomatic relations to date.

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