AZERI LEADER PRAISES TIES WITH TURKEY

Turan news agency
4 Apr 06

Baku, 4 April: “Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are at the
highest level,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told journalists
after the completion of talks with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer.

Aliyev said that during their talks they had discussed the development
of bilateral ties in the political, economic and humanitarian areas.

Aliyev noted that economic growth in both countries makes it possible
to actively develop trade and economic cooperation. Entrepreneurs of
the two countries should use opening opportunities for cooperation,
he said.

The presidents also discussed topical international problems and
regional cooperation, Aliyev noted. He said that Turkey and Azerbaijan
are successfully implementing energy projects of international
significance.

“The energy corridor which will start operating with the launch
this year of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline will bring us even closer and
increase the importance of our countries,” Aliyev said.

He said that they had also discussed the construction of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. Aliyev said that there are no disagreements
on the issue. “Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia are fully determined
to achieve the successful implementation of this project,” he noted.

Aliyev and Sezer also exchanged opinions on the Karabakh settlement.

Aliyev thanked Turkey for its “fair” position on the issue. Aliyev
confirmed that Azerbaijan’s position on this problem is the same: the
conflict must be resolved on the basis of norms of international law,
within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, provided
that Azerbaijani refugees return to their native lands.

Sezer said that Azerbaijani-Turkish ties have a firm foundation and are
based on common interests. Turkey fully supports all of Azerbaijan’s
aspirations towards revival. During the talks, they discussed possible
joint steps to settle the Karabakh conflict and other problems in the
South Caucasus. Turkey favours a peaceful solution to the Karabakh
conflict within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and
in line with international law. He stressed Turkey’s readiness to do
its best for the establishment of lasting peace in the South Caucasus.

Sezer also expressed satisfaction with Azerbaijan’s support for
bringing [the self-declared Turkish Republic of] Northern Cyprus out
of international isolation.

[In a separate report, Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian 1423 gmt 4
Apr 06 quoted Sezer as saying that Turkey had invested in Azerbaijan
4.5bn dollars, including 2.2bn dollars in the non-oil sector.]