Protest the signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocol of August 31st, 2009

As Canadian-Armenians we hereby protest against the contents of the protocol for establishment of diplomatic relations and normalization of relations, signed on August 31, 2009, by the Armenian and Turkish authorities.

The stipulations found in the above mentioned document are nothing but the unilateral adoption of Turkish imposed preconditions that were, until now, rejected by Armenians. Stated preconditions jeopardize quintessential Armenian interests.

This protocol clearly demonstrates a concerted effort to undermine the rights of the Armenian people by polarizing the nation and destroying national pride.

The adoption of this protocol would;
a. Put at risk the legitimate Armenian territorial claims
b. Jeopardize the ambition for international recognition of the Armenian Genocide
c. Endanger the rights of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to self-determination

This auto destructive protocol would serve no purpose but to undermine the Armenian peoples righteous cause and its just resolution. This protocol directly impacts the Armenian nations' survival and safety.

With this petition, we call upon the Armenian Government, to correct the aforementioned imposed conditions, or to reject the protocol in its entirety and re-establish Armenia's longstanding commitment to establishing negotiations without preconditions. The imposed Turkish preconditions concern the rights of the entire Armenian nation, and consequently, it is the political will of the Armenian nation that will prevail.