CAUCASUS PEACE TO BE ACHIEVED WITH TURKEY’S INITIATIVIES- AZERI PRES

Hurriyet
Nov 6 2008
Turkey

Peace in the Caucasus will be established with Turkey’s initiatives
and the good will of regional countries, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham
Aliyev said Thursday.

"Problems in the region will be resolved with the good will of the
respective countries," said Aliyev, paying his first visit abroad to
Turkey after his re-election, in an address to the Turkish parliament.

A Turkish-Azerbaijani union is an important factor in the region,
Aliyey added.

"What is taking place in the Caucasus is of interest to all of
us. Turkey conducts very active policy in regard to the problems in
the Caucasus. Turkey will intervene more seriously to the regional
problems in the future. Such intervention will have positive
results. We applaud such initiatives," Aliyev said.

"The greatest problem, vis a vis peace and security in the region,
is the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia," Aliyev was quoted
as saying by Anatolian Agency.

Aliyev said Azerbaijani territory has been under the occupation of
Armenia for almost two decades.

"One million Azerbaijanis have become refugees as a result of
Armenia’s occupation. Armenia is not complying with U.N. directives
which are calling on Armenia to withdraw from Azerbaijani territory,"
Aliyev said.

The Azerbaijan’s president said his country is hopeful that all
Azerbaijani territory would unite and be free of any occupation.

Despite the difficult years following the independence of Azerbaijan,
domestic political turmoil, and the occupation of Azerbaijani territory
by Armenia, Azerbaijanis look at the future with great optimism,
Aliyev said.

Aliyev’s visit to Turkey took place immediately after his meeting
with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev in Russia.

Medvedev, Aliyev and Sargsyan met near Moscow Sunday and signed a joint
declaration asserting their desire to find a political settlement to
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

There is no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey due
to Armenia’s aggression over Azerbaijan. The conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 on Armenian territorial claims
over Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts, displacing 10 percent of the Azeri population
in the series of bloody clashes both between and within the two
neighboring countries.

In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group are currently holding peaceful negotiations. Nearly 30,000 were
killed in the 1990s war over the enclave and soldiers on both sides
continue to exchange sporadic fire, claiming lives.

CLOSE TIES Aliyev said relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are
like no other relationship among the countries of the world.

"Relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, which are based on friendship
and brotherhood, will continue to grow and bring peace and welfare
to our peoples," the Azeri president said.

He said Turkey and Azerbaijan have historical bonds, adding relations
and political dialogue between the two countries take place at the
highest level possible.

"We have made great progress in the energy field. We are realizing
important energy activities in the region. We have achieved the Shah
Sea Project together with Turkey. Azerbaijan now exports natural gas,"
Aliyev added.

The Kars-Tbilisi Railway Project carries historical, economic and
political importance, Aliyev also said.

Turkish Premier Tayyip Erdogan, chairman of the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deniz Baykal and chairman of the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli were among the Turkish
dignitaries who listened to Aliyev’s parliamentary address.

Aliyev’s speech at the Turkish Parliament was applauded by the
deputies.