YEREVAN (Yerkir)-A grouping of 14 political parties and dozens of organizations opposing the ratification of the Turkey-Armenia protocols gathered at the Erebouni business center Tuesday to discuss future activities and efforts now that the protocols are awaiting approval by Armenia's Constitutional Court.

The group, led by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and united under the slogan of "No to Protocols," issued an announcement at the conclusion of the meeting calling on the National Assembly to not ratify the protocols with their current wording and urging all Armenians to oppose the effort by signing a petition being circulated by the opposing forces.

Below are translated excerpts from the announcement:

We, the forces united against the ratification of the Armenia-Turkey protocols, resolutely reaffirm our struggle and declare:

• Despite the inherent dangers in the protocols and the opposition expressed by the Armenian people, nevertheless, the Armenian authorities signed the protocols.
  
• The [protocol-mandated] discussion phase was hastily concluded and the governmental ratification process has begun. From now on, the process to end the ratification of the anti-national protocols rests on the Constitutional Court and the National Assembly.
  
• It is irrefutable that Turkey has been able to secure the necessary leverage to bring to fruition the two preconditions: Making the veracity of the Genocide a topic of discussion and as such creating obstacles for the international recognition process, as well as legalizing the current illegal Turkish-Armenian borders.
  
• At the same time, by continuously not relenting from its other precondition, Turkey is garnering opportunities to interfere in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process and attempting to extort concessions from Armenia which are favorable to Azerbaijan.
  
• In these circumstances, it is still not too late to reverse the course of these dangerous developments by immediately undertaking certain efforts.
  
• Thus, the Constitutional Court must declare unconstitutional the provisions of the protocols mandating Armenia's responsibilities, based on the reality that the protocols contradict Armenia's Declaration of Independence, as well as fundamental principles and national interests of Armenia's statehood, which are protected by the Constitution.
  
• Furthermore, Article 83.5 Section 9 of the Constitution has been violated as have laws on procedures for international agreements.
  
• In the event that Armenia's President submits the protocols to the National Assembly, the parliament must not ratify the document in their current form.
  
• We call on all citizens of the Republic of Armenia and the entire Armenia nation to join the petition against the ratification of the Armenia-Turkey protocols and all our future endeavors.