Azeri, Turkish presidents urge “stage-by-stage” Karabakh solution – TV

ANS TV, Baku
13 Apr 04

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has called for a stage-by-stage
resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. Speaking after his
meetings in Ankara on 13 April broadcast by ANS, Aliyev said that he
shared the view of his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Sezer that the
conflict should be resolved “on the basis of international norms and
within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity…and in a
stage-by-stage manner”. The following is the text of the report by
Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 13 April; subheadings have been inserted
editorially:

[Presenter over video of the meetings] Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev is today paying his first official visit to Turkey.

He met Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul at the airport. Right
from there Aliyev went to Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Ataturk who was
the founder of the Republic of Turkey. Following his meetings with
Turkish officials, Aliyev held talks with Gul in the premises prepared
for him.

Next, Aliyev met in Ankara’s Cankaya district Turkish President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer, who thanked him for visiting Ankara at Sezer’s
invitation. Sezer said that Aliyev’s first official visit to Turkey
will bring the two countries even closer together and said that
Azerbaijan and Turkey will forever have friendly and brotherly
relations. He said Turkey closely monitors developments in the
Caucasus and attaches great importance to peace in the region.

Speaking about the Nagornyy Karabakh negotiations, Aliyev talked about
the importance of international justice. He said that Azerbaijan felt
Turkish support at the most difficult stages of its history and he
hoped for Turkish support in settling the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
as well.

In his speech, Aliyev recalled Heydar Aliyev’s recommendations and
foreign policy. Our strength is in our unity, such was the essence of
Heydar Aliyev’s policy, end of quote.

We will now have a link with Turkey. ANS TV’s special correspondent
Qanira Pasayeva is on the air. Which topics were discussed during the
meetings, Qanira?

Stage-by-stage Karabakh solution

[Correspondent Qanira Pasayeva] The meeting between Aliyev and Sezer
took longer than expected, longer than the 35 minutes envisaged by
protocol. An expanded meeting with the involvement of Azerbaijani and
Turkish officials was held later.

In general, the meeting outlined prospects and directions for future
cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict, ways of settling it, and the situation in the South Caucasus
featured prominently at the talks between the two presidents and in a
joint declaration which they signed. In their briefings, the
presidents attached special importance to the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem.

The declaration signed by the presidents also put special emphasis on
the Nagornyy Karabakh issue. Sezer said that the presence of
unresolved conflicts in the South Caucasus, including the one in
Nagornyy Karabakh, is one of the factors which undermine stability in
the region. He openly said that Turkey has always been in favour of
settling the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict in line with international
law, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Sezer said
Turkey will never budge from this position.

[Sezer] Once again we would like to tell our Azerbaijani brothers that
we will do our best to resolve the conflict in accordance with
international law, in a stage-by-stage and peaceful manner. I am happy
to see that Aliyev shares my views on establishing peace, stability,
and cooperation in the South Caucasus.

[Correspondent] Aliyev’s remarks also showed that the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict was the main topic at the talks. Aliyev said that
Azerbaijan tries to resolve the conflict in accordance with the norms
of international law and will never abandon these principles. He said
that the stage-by-stage approach to resolving the conflict should be
the main one at the talks.

[Aliyev] Turkey has always been together with Azerbaijan on ways of
resolving the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh,
and today’s talks show this once again. This conflict must be resolved
on the basis of international norms and within the framework of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. It can be resolved, as Sezer said,
in a stage-by-stage manner.

Pipelines to be built on time

[Correspondent] Economic ties was the second topic to be
discussed. Documents were signed on this. It was especially noted that
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and the Baku-Erzurum gas pipelines will be
build on time. The declaration also stipulates that the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline must start to function by May 2005, and
the Baku-Erzurum gas pipeline will start to operate in 2006. The
declaration also expressed the hope that Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan
would reach an agreement and Astana would join the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
project.

Economic cooperation

[Presenter] What other meetings were held and which documents were
signed?

[Correspondent] Various documents were signed. I already talked about
the declaration. In addition, a document on long-term economic
cooperation was signed. It says, for instance, that the trade turnover
between Azerbaijan and Turkey reached 400m dollars between
2000-04. Describing this as a positive development it also hoped that
the turnover will go up to 1bn dollars in coming years. The document
is to give a fresh impetus to that.

An agreement was signed with the Azerbaijani Airlines. According to
information which we have just received, the company wants to fly from
Naxcivan [Azerbaijan’s exclave] to some Turkish cities. This has to do
with Naxcivan’s development. The two countries also signed accords on
cooperation in industry, property rights, culture and customs.