Turkey to continue backing Azerbaijan on Karabakh issue – naval chief

Turan news agency
29 Mar 05

Baku, 29 March: The goal of Turkish Navy Commander Vice-Adm Ozden
Ornek’s visit to Baku is to discuss cooperation between the two
countries’ navies, the Turkish admiral said at a meeting with
Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev yesterday.

The Turkish admiral said that the two countries’ military should
cooperate to safeguard the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

For his part, Safar Abiyev noted that “some enemies” of Azerbaijan
might attempt to prevent the region’s oil and gas projects from being
implemented. With this regard, they are “dragging out” the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict. Turkey, which has the most powerful army in
NATO and in the region, should be actively involved in achieving
this. He expressed his confidence that Ankara will continue taking a
fair position and will not open its border with Armenia.

Ornek assured Abiyev that “despite pressure, Turkey will not open its
borders”.