AZERBAIJAN AND TURKISH PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES AGAINST OPENING OF THE TURKEY-ARMENIA BORDER

Azerbaijan Business Center
April 16 2009

Today at the end of a special roundtable session held in Baku, a
group of deputies representing Azerbaijan and Turkish Parliaments
has not supported opening of the Turkey-Armenia border.

"The recent intensification of Turkey-Armenia talks, expansion of
speculation around the issues of arranging diplomatic relations
and opening of borders seriously concern us and the two countries’
communities," said participants of the one-day forum entitled "Turkey
and Azerbaijan: Common Interests and Problems".

"As a protest, our countries’ community expressed its single
position. Participants of the forum consider it’s expedient to have
single positions concerning Karabakh and Northern Cyprus matters
against recognizing so-called "Armenian Genocide", the fight against
Kurdistan Work Party (PKK)," the statement says.

At the same time authors of the paper blame forces causing harm
to common interests of the Turkic world. The summary says about
necessity of permanent consultations between the official bodies,
politic parties and NGOs of the two countries on Azerbaijan and
Turkish topical problems.

At the one-day forum in Baku, Turkey was represented by members of the
Parliament Shukru Alekdag, Yilmaz Atesh, Shain Mengu from Republican
People’s Party, Atilla Gaya, Turan Chirkin from the National Movement
Party as well as Deputy Secretary General of the National Movement
Party Bulent Didinmaz and researcher Muhammad Azeri.

Azerbaijan was represented by five parliamentary parties, which have
organized the meeting: "Ana Veten", "Great Arrangement", Azerbaijan
Single Popular Front, "Adalat" ("Justice"), "Civil Solidarity" as
well as deputies from Ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), oppositional
party "Musavat" ("Equality") and several non-party members of the
Azerbaijani Parliament.