ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER CROSSING BEING REPAIRED, SAYS AZERI DIPLOMAT
1305_4/10/2009_1
Thursday, April 9, 2009
ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)–Repair works have been launched at
Alican checkpoint at the Turkish-Armenian border closed since 1993,
an Azerbaijani diplomat was quoted by Azeri sources as saying on
Wednesday "Repair works are underway in the border crossing point in
the territory of Armenia. The roads leading to Alican are being covered
with asphalt," Azerbaijan’s consul general to the eastern Turkish
province of Kars, Hasan Zeynalov, told the Azeri Press Agency (APA).
Zeynalov also told Azeri Press Agency that residents in the eastern
Turkish provinces of Kars and Igdir, where the Alican checkpoint was
located, were apparently "very concerned" over the possibility of
re-opening of the border.
"Kars and Igdir residents do not understand the reasons for this
step. They are against the re-opening of border," he is quoted
as saying.
Azerbaijan, which shares linguistic and cultural ties with Turkey,
has expressed deep concern over the possibility of a breakthrough in
Turkish-Armenian ties, fearing reopening the border would weaken its
hand in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azeri officials have expressed concern over the prospect of the border
being reopened and Baku has warned it may even go one step further
in halting the sale of natural gas to Turkey.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday told a
press conference that a deal between Armenian and Turkey will have to
wait until Armenia and Azerbaijan first settle the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
Recent media reports had suggest the two neighboring countries are
close to sign a memorandum that will lead to normalization of the
relations.
According to the Turkish Hurriyet newspaper, diplomatic sources told
the Turkish broadcaster CNN Turk on Thursday that although there are
improvements on the talks, the border is unlikely to be opened before
April 24, the annual day of commemoration for the Armenian Genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
