SDHP Central Committee’s Statement Regarding the Annulment of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols

The Central Committee of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party expresses its contentment with the decision of the Republic of Armenia authorities to annul the Protocols on the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

The Hunchakian Party was strongly opposed to the ratification of the Protocols from the beginning, considering the negative attitude of Turkish state/political circles on the issue of the Armenian Genocide and Artsakh.

We are convinced that open borders and normalized relations with neighbors are in the vital interests of the Republic of Armenia, but Ankara’s official denialist behavior and anti-Armenian activities once again prove the obvious fact that the key to the normalization of relations with Turkey is the radical change in the hateful attitude towards Armenia and Armenians by Turkey’s political elite.

Attempts to neglect the Protocols or using the document to pressure Armenia in the issue of Artsakh are vivid proof of this.
The Hunchakian Party is convinced that any document on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations should include a broader consideration of the approaches and positions of both Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.

The Central Committee of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party also expresses its conviction that Armenia can have normalized relations with its neighbor if and only if Turkey officially recognizes the Armenian Genocide, comes to terms with its history, and stops unilaterally advocating for the Azeris in the Artzakh issue.

The Hunchakian Party will continue to work with Turkey’s progressive circles giving credence to the Armenian Question, and to reintroduce the Turkish public to its own history.

SDHP Central Committee:
02-March-2018
Yerevan