TURKISH GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE DESIRE TO OPEN BORDERS WITH ARMENIA: AZERBAIJANI HEAD OF AZERBAIJAN-TURKEY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP

Trend News Agency
April 8 2009
Azerbaijan

The actions of today’s government of Turkey demonstrate either
its desire to open borders with Armenia or to learn international
and public opinion, said the co-chairman of Azerbaijan-Turkey
inter-parliamentary friendship group.

"The attempts to open borders are felt. But Azerbaijan protests
against this both at the state and public level," Nizami Jafarov,
co-chairman of Azerbaijan-Turkey inter-parliamentary friendship group,
president of Azerbaijan Ataturk center, told Trend News on April 8.

The representatives of different circles of Turkish society suppose
that the borders with Armenia will be opened.

Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia’s
claims of an alleged genocide, and the country’s occupation of
20 percent of Azerbaijani lands. Turkish President Abdullah Gul
visited Yerevan on Sept. 6, 2008 upon the invitation of his Armenian
counterpart Serzh Sarkisyan to watch an Armenia-Turkey football
match. Efforts have been made to normalize ties between the two
countries ever since.

Jafarov said that still it is possible to hope that the borders will
not be opened.

"Because the President, and the Prime Minister of Turkey repeatedly
said that the borders with Armenia will not be opened unless the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is solved, unless the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan is restored, unless Armenia gives up its claims on
"genocide" and others", MP said.

He considers that opportunities and chances have already been provided
to Armenia to give up these claims, but still there is no positive
result. "Taking into account this, it is possible to say that the
opening of borders is impossible," said Jafarov.

For already long time, negotiations have been held with the Turkish
MPs to prevent opening of borders, he said.

"We maintain this question on focus of attention constantly. We
constantly discuss this question with the co-chairman of
Azerbaijan-Turkey inter-parliamentary friendship group Mustafa
Kabakchi. He repeatedly said that the borders with Armenia
can be opened only after ensuring territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. Kabakchi considers so today as well, Jafarov said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.