TURKISH PREMIER BELIEVES IT DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA UNLESS AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIAN DISPUTE IS RESOLVED

ArmInfo
2009-04-09 13:57:00

ArmInfo. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that it
was difficult to overcome problems between Turkey and Armenia unless
Azerbaijan- Armenian dispute was resolved, Haber.turk reported.

Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters, "there has been a difficult
process between Azerbaijan and Armenia for years. We have a difficulty
stemming from that process. It is difficult to overcome problems
between Turkey and Armenia unless Azerbaijani- Armenian dispute is
resolved. We hope that the United Nations Security Council will
acknowledge Armenia as an occupier in Upper Karabakh and take a
decision to call on Armenia to withdraw from the region. The Minsk
Group has been trying to resolve that dispute for more than 17 years."

"Turkey has already taken a step and proposed to form the Caucasian
Stability and Cooperation Platform with the participation of Turkey,
Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. The Azerbaijani-Armenian
dispute should be resolved first. Then, problems between Turkey and
Armenia can be solved too," Prime Minister Erdogan said. Fir his part
Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov commented on the
possible opening of the Turkish-Armenian border before the Karabakh
conflict is resolved, Bakililar.AZ reported. Thus, A. Azimov said
the decision by Turkish authorities would be inconsistent with the
interests of Azerbaijan.