DEBATES ON TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER OPENING TO BE HELD IN IZMIR ON 23-25 APRIL

Azerbaijan Business Center
April 22 2009

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Public discussion "Common problems of Turkey and
Azerbaijan: Armenia (Why should borders with Armenia be opened?)" will
take place in Turkish city Izmir from 23 to 25 April.

Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani parliament) informs that the debates will
involve country’s MPs Akram Abdullayev and Aydin Abbasov and Turkish
foreign policy experts and scientists. The polemics is aimed at
keeping brotherly relationships between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Turkey’s plan on opening of the border with Armenia accusing it
in genocide of Armenians almost 100 years ago and occupying 20%
of Azerbaijan territory caused vehement protests in Baku.

Official Ankara’s pretext that only technical preparation for the
border opening is being conducted did not mislead anybody. Tough
reaction touched all layers of the society in Azerbaijan. The
Azerbaijani President cancelled his visit to Turkey for an
international conference, while Milli Majlis held a special session
on the occasion and local TV channels started broadcasting speeches in
Turkish language with subtitles in Azerbaijani language. As a result,
the Turkish Embassy in Baku was forced to state that principle "2
countries (Turkey and Azerbaijan)" was not removed from the agenda.
From: Baghdasarian