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Armenian-Turkish Border Crossing Being Repaired, Says Azeri Diplomat

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

www.asbarez.com/index.html?showarticle=4
Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS
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