GUL: TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER WILL NEVER OPEN

Azg/arm
15 Feb 05

Abdullah Gul, Turkish foreign minister, met with Elmar Mamediarov,
his Azeri counterpart, within the framework of the official visit to
Turkey, on February 10. In response to the question put by a journalist
on the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border in the course of the
press conference held by the end of the meeting, Gul said: “Let the
Azeris be calm. Unless the Nagorno Karabakh issue is solved within
the framework of Azerbaijanâ~@~Ys territorial integrity, Turkey will
not open its border with Armenia and will not improve its relations
with Armenia.”

Turkish Public TV informed about this on February 11. According to
the February 11 issue of Hyurriet, Gul gave an extremely profound
sign to Mamediarov, emphasizing the following: “Azerbaijan is the
friend and the fraternal country for both Turks of Turkey and those
living in Cyprus. The step we take will serve as a good example for
other countries.”

Reminding of the international isolation of the Turkish republic
of Northern Cyprus, Gul told Mamediarov to call for the Azeris to
display their fraternal feeling and attitude towards the Turks of
Cyprus and added: “We are looking forward to the step you take.” In
other words, Gul demanded the recognition of the Republic of Northern
Cyprus from the Azeris against their decision to keep blocked the
Armenian-Turkish border.

By Hakob Chakrian

–Boundary_(ID_0AFeOFydaAWOgwumLte2zg)–