ALI HASANOV: "CONCERN OF AZERBAIJANI PUBLIC AND MEDIA OVER TURKEY-ARMENIA RELATIONS IS UNDERSTANDABLE"
APA
Feb 19 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. "Unfortunately, the issue on Turkey’s
retracting from the term of Nagorno Karabakh to establish relations
with Armenia is covered partially in Azerbaijani media.
We know this issue as much as Azerbaijani media does. According to
Armenian service of Radio Liberty, Turkey decided to open borders,
establish diplomatic relations with Armenia and retracted from its
previous position in order to make this decision. Unfortunately,
Turkey’s official bodies neither refute, nor confirm these reports,"
chief of socio-political department of the President’s Office Ali
Hasanov said, APA reports.
The department chief said mass media covers understandable concern
and discontent of Azerbaijani public and media.
"It was always said during the presidency of Turgut Ozal, Suleyman
Demirel and by Erdogan during AKP’s ruling that political, economic,
cultural or diplomatic relations will not be established with the
aggressive state unless Armenia releases the occupied Azerbaijani
territories, refugees and IDPs return to their native lands,
peace is established in the South Caucasus and between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. We believe this word and think that it is still so. But
ask Turkish ambassador in Azerbaijan and other our Turkish friends
why the issue is not made clear," he said.
Ali Hasanov believes that Azerbaijan’s public opinion is not
insignificant for Turkish authorities.
"The relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are higher than the
relations between two states. We have always made political and
historical statements about eternal alliance. It is the duty of
Turkish and Azerbaijani official and unofficial bodies to protect
this alliance," he said.