REMARKS BY TURKISH PRIME MINISTER RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN AT A NATIONAL PRESS CLUB NEWSMAKER BRIEFING

Federal News Service
November 14, 2008 Friday

MR. HICKMAN: Would you comment, please, on the latest developments
in another of your neighbors, Georgia? Is Turkey planning to promote
and play a role in a negotiation process?

PRIME MIN. ERDOGAN: Territorial integrity of Turkey is of great
importance for us. And we are a country defending the territorial
integrity of Georgia. And in the recent crisis, you are familiar with
the fact that we have been to Moscow. And we had met with Mr. Putin
and Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Lavrov, along with my foreign minister.

We had various talks. And at the end of these talks, we had declared
a project, which is the platform for solidarity and cooperation in
the Caucasus.

And this platform was going to be established upon the principles of
geography of the region.

Russian Federation, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia were going
to be — consisted within the structure. And this project is going to
focus on the needs of the region, whether it be the energy investments,
whether it be other needs. And this platform is going to function
within the framework of OSCE having the opportunity to move towards
the same goals on common grounds and with the capability of coming up
with solutions to certain problems that may arise in the region. This
is how we had explained the project to be.

And Russia said yes to such a project. And Georgia said yes to such
a project. And Azerbaijan said yes to this project as well. And in
the meanwhile, our foreign ministers started discussing the content
of this platform.

And there was a national football game organized between Armenia and
Turkey. And Mr. Sarkissian, President Sarkissian invited the Turkish
president to Armenia. And President Gul of the Republic of Turkey
has been to Armenia where we had stated this offer to Sarkissian
and Sarkissian said yes to this project. And this process is still
under way.

And for the past 17 years, the United States of America, France and
Russia have been continuing the Minsk Process. But no results had
yielded until so far. But with the introduction of this new process,
Azerbaijan and Armenia gathered together in Moscow. There were certain
talks. I believe there are certain positive signals coming along and we
are paying our efforts in order to sustain this positive process. And
I believe the United States of America will do everything within its
capability to contribute to this process.

And for the sake of the region, for the peace of the region, if
problems shall be solved, I believe it will have a direct impact
on the solution of the questions between Turkey and Armenia. And if
problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia shall be solved, it will have
a direct impact on Turkey and Armenia relations.

MR. HICKMAN: There’s another question related to Georgia. How do you
see the development of the — of the Black Sea region in view of the
recent conflict in Georgia?