Azernews.Az

YEREVAN – Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has claimed that "it is now Turkey’s turn" to put forth political will to normalize relations between the two estranged neighbors that are marred by decades of hostility.
"The whole world is telling Turkey that it should display political will to ratify [Turkish-Armenian] protocols, but in Ankara, they can’t hear these calls, so to speak, and are instead suggesting that we display political will," Sarkisian alleged, referring to the 2009 accords on mending bilateral ties. He was replying to questions from a local youth organization, Armenian media reported.
Turkey and Armenia face historic enmity and their shared border has been shut since 1993 due to Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territory and Armenian claims on mass killings of their ancestors by Ottoman Turks. In October 2009, in Zurich, the two governments signed agreements to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders. But ratification of the deal faltered amid mutual recriminations that the other side was not committed to reconciliation. Armenia in April announced it was removing the agreement from its parliament's agenda. Turkey has assured Azerbaijan, its ally, that the protocols will not pass in its parliament until progress is made in resolving the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.
Sarkisian maintained that Armenia "has already displayed its will". He said his country "was risking to be hurt more than anyone else by failing to shake a friendly hand lent by Turkey".
"We never ignore a hand extended to us in a friendly manner. But if such a hand has never been lent and it is only being presented this way, we do not pay any attention to that."