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Armenian Constitutional Court starts discussing protocols signed with Turkey

12 January 2010 11:00 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Armenian Constitutional Court has started hearings on conformity of the Zurich protocols signed between Yerevan and Ankara to the Main Law, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti. The hearings in the Constitutional Court are open, but the meeting may be closed if a related decision is passed. Only the judges being the members of the Constitutional Court may attend the closed meeting, the decisions are made by a vote majority. Chairman of the Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan told judge Vladimir Ovannissian to prepare a reference on the conformity of the protocols to the Main Law. Tomorrow Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will attend the meeting in the Constitutional Court in capacity of Presidentâ€™s representative.

Dashnaksutun party is holding meeting outside the Constitutional Court now. The party demands to pass decision declaring protocols unlawful. Chairman of the partyâ€™s supreme board and head of the parliamentâ€™s foreign relations commission Armen Rustamyan also participates at the meeting.

According to the Armenian Constitution and law on international treaties, Armenian president sends international agreements signed by the government to the Constitutional Court to specify its accordance with Armenian legislation. The agreements are sent to the parliament after submission of the courtâ€™s decision to the president. After that the foreign ministry prepares ratification decree and submits it to the president. The decree is signed by the president and foreign minister. The treaty comes into force after exchanging it between the sides.