AZERBAIJAN URGES PRECONDITIONS IN TURKEY-ARMENIA BORDER TALKS BE MET

Hurriyet
April 15 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – An advisor to the Azerbaijani president said Tuesday it
would be better if Turkey solves the issue of opening the border with
Armenia by adhering to previously determined conditions.

Chief of the International Relations Department of Azeribaijani
President Ilham Aliyev’s Office, Novruz Mammadov, told Azerbaijan’s
APA news agency that there was principally no problem in holding
negotiations regarding the opening of the border between Turkey and
Armenia, but added it would be better if the process was carried out
by other means.

Ankara and Yerevan have no diplomatic relations and their border
has been closed in 1993 over Armenia’s invasion of 20 percent of
Azerbaijani territory and Armenia’s pressure on the international
community with the backing of the diaspora to admit the so-called
"genocide" claims, instead of accepting Turkey’s call to investigate
the allegations.

Turkey and Armenia however have been engaged in a normalization
process, including the reopening of the border, since Gul paid a
landmark visit to Armenia last year to watch a World Cup qualifying
football match between the countries’ national teams.

"We are not against the opening of borders, but we demand the issue
to be solved more correctly, within the conditions postulated by the
Turkish authorities in the early days of our independence," he said.

Mammadov said these conditions were made by former Turkish presidents
Turgut Ozal, Suleyman Demirel, Ahmet Necdet Sezer and "Turkey’s
present leadership."

"It would be within the interests of both Turkey and Azerbaijan and
would assist the establishing of peace, stability and cooperation in
the South Caucasus," he said.

Azeri officials have expressed concern over the prospect of the border
being reopened and some media reports suggested that Baku might even
go one step further in halting the sale of natural gas to Turkey.

Azerbaijan, which has strong cultural and historic ties with Turkey,
says opening the border before the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from the country’s occupied territories would run counter to its
national interests.

Aliyev also refused to attend an international meeting in Istanbul
earlier this month, a move that can be seen as a protest against the
prospect of the border being opened between Armenia and Turkey.

"Turkey understands Azeri concerns"

Mammadov said the issue concerns Azerbaijan as it is being played
out in the South Caucasus, adding he thinks Turkey understands its
position.

"The last statements of Turkish authorities showed that they also
understand the issue and are taking the Azerbaijan’s position into
consideration. They are stating, and we are also considering that
Turkey and Armenia have to establish relationship," he said.

In a bid to soothe Azerbaijan’s concerns, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip
Erdogan has said the deadlock over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave must
be resolved before Turkey and Armenia strike a deal.