Azad Azarbaycan TV, Azerbaijan
May 5 2009

Azeri aide says "cool" ties with Turkey "can never last long"

[Presenter] The head of the foreign relations department of the
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Novruz Mammadov, has told our
correspondent that there are some forces that are interested in
worsening of relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, but Armenia
itself can fall into the trap after the normalization of these
problems [as heard].

[Correspondent] The friendship, brotherhood and strategic partnership
relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey have irritated specific
forces, and a plot to cast a shadow on the relations between the two
countries has been conceived. However, neither Azerbaijan nor Turkey
will fall into this trap set by a number of circles, especially by
Armenia. The head of the foreign relations department of the
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Novruz Mammadov, believes
that a flow of events in an opposite direction can be of no benefit to
either of the one nation – two states [Azerbaijan and Turkey].

[Mammadov] I think that probably a plan has been drawn up aiming to
hinder [the resolution of] this problem. At the same time, I would
like to say that Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well as the Turkish and
Azerbaijani people have the same roots and history, and cool relations
between them can never last long, and it is impossible to spoil and
cool the relations between them.

[Correspondent] In the meantime, Armenia’s involvement in the
[May-June 2009] NATO exercise in Georgia and Russia’s cool attitude
towards this fact have created an incomprehensible situation in the
region. The head of the department said that this fact once again
proves that official Moscow is pursuing a policy of double standards
in the region.

[Passage omitted: Mammadov blames Russia for pursuing a policy of
double standards in the region]

[Correspondent] Touching on statements that Azerbaijan’s consent to
export of gas to Russia will affect the Nabucco [gas] project, the
head of the department said that this project is on the agenda. He
added that some time is required for the Nabucco [gas project] to
justify itself.