Zaman Online, Turkey
July 1 2005

Aliyev’s Historic Gesture to TRNC: Baku Begins Flights and Trade
By Enes Cansever, Mesut Cevikalp
Published: Friday July 01, 2005
zaman.com

Azerbaijan will take more concrete measures to end the isolation
imposed on Northern Cyprus, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said
yesterday, June 30.

Saying, “I have given the order for charter flights to TRNC” Aliyev
announced the Azerbaijani companies would open offices in the
northern part of the island. In Baku for a two-day official visit,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Aliyev
yesterday. In a joint news meeting, Aliyev said the Cypriot Turks
should be saved from isolation and the embargoes imposed on them,
adding that his country is ready to do its best on the subject.
Indicating that he gave the order for the start of flights to TRNC,
Aliyev said Azerbaijani companies would also go to the island, see
the investment opportunities, and open branches there. The policies
of the two countries overlapped about Cyprus said Erdogan and Aliyev
had given him “good news” during the conversation, the Prime Minister
added.

Both leaders talked about regional and international issues as well
as bilateral relations. Aliyev mentioned, the two friendly countries
would be in close cooperation in the future just as it was in the
past. The Azerbaijani President thanked the Turkish Prime Minister
for the support Turkey had given on the “Upper Karabag (Karabagh)
issue” between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Turkey and Azerbaijan would
make efforts to take their relations to a further point with the ‘two
states one nation’ understanding said Erdogan, indicating, Turkey
shared the same opinions with Azerbaijan about the Upper Karabagh
issue: “We are in favor of a solution. Armenia’s attitude will
determine the solution.” When reminded that the European Union (EU)
sets a condition for Turkey to open an Armenian border, Erdogan
responded: ” There is no such thing in the EU Copenhagen political
criteria. No such thing can be imposed on Turkey. This is Turkey’s
own decision. Turkey knows how it will decide about this.”