YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. French Ambassador to Armenia Jean-Francois Charpentier says the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations is important in terms of Armenia’s development, as well as the regional stability, reports “Armenpress”.

“This is one of our priorities in the region. For a long time, the Armenian-Turkish dialogue has been impossible, however, already starting from 2000s the situation changed little by little both at inter-state and civil society levels”, the Ambassador said at a discussion on the topic of “What is the future of the Armenian-Turkish dialogue from the perspective of Turkey, Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora of France”.

The Ambassador said there is no need to become the hostage of the past, to be closed in the past, the best way of doing this is to express. “We appreciate exchange of ideas: we wanted the representatives of the Armenian Diaspora of France, Turkey and Armenia gather and speak over this dialogue in order all can exchange their views on issues that are at the crossroads of international relations. In the context of normalization of relations, I can say the same in case of Germany and France: we decided to listen to each other, to speak about our wounds, historical pains, otherwise the EU would not exist today”, Jean-Francois Charpentier said.

In 2008, at the initiative of the President of Armenia a new stage of Armenian-Turkish relations launched as a result of which on October 10, 2009 in Zurich the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries signed the “Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey” and “Protocol on development of relations between of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey”. However, after the Protocols were signed, Turkey abruptly changed its position and rejected to implement the agreements on the normalization of the relations within a reasonable timeframe and without any preconditions, linking the ratification of the Protocols in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Taking into account the situation created by Turkey, as well as the call of the Political Council of the parties-members of the ruling coalition, on April 22, 2010 the President of Armenia signed a decree on the suspension of the process of ratification of the Protocols.

President Serzh Sargsyan on February 16, 2015 sent a letter to Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan informing about his decision on retracting the Armenia-Turkey protocols from the Parliament of Armenia.