ABDULLAH GUL: "TURKEY ATTACHES A GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE MOSCOW MEETING OF PRESIDENTS OF RUSSIA, ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN"

Today.Az
s/politics/50643.html
Feb 12 2009
Azerbaijan

"Russia plays a key role in the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh
conflict", said Turkish president Abdullah Gul, starting his state
visit to Russia.

Turkey attaches a "great importance to the Moscow trilateral meeting
with participation of the Presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
upon completion of which there has been adopted a declaration of
the need for the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict",
noted the president.

The head of the Turkish state noted that "Russia plays a key role
in this issue as it is also the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group on
Nagorno Karabakh".

"Any positive turn in the resolution of conflicts in the Caucasus
immediately has a positive impact on all the countries of the region,
while the negative turn has a negative impact on all regional players",
considers Abdullah Gul.

According to the Turkish President, his country has long been
searching for ways of normalizing relations with Armenia and uses
all opportunities for a dialogue, "including the one provided by the
selection match of the world championship between the football teams
of our countries".

"I have left to Yerevan and watched this game at the tribune together
with my Armenian counterpart. After the match we have a very good
and useful meeting with President Sargsyan. I am very glad that the
dialogue established in Yerevan is still underway", noted he.

"I believe that my visit to Yerevan was not only the start of the
process of normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia
but will also promote normalization of relations between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. At the same time I would like to express a deep gratitude
to Russia for the constant efforts for assistance to the search of
ways to settle these complex knots", said Abdullah Gul.