Interfax, Russia
May 5 2009

Open border with Armenia depends on advance of Karabakh talks –
Turkish diplomat

BAKU May 5

Turkey is not going to open the border with Armenia until the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement talks between Baku and Yerevan progress,
Turkish Ambassador in Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic said.

"There are no gaps in Azeri-Turkish relations. As [Turkish Prime
Minister] Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said, the Turkish-Armenian
borders will not be opened until the Karabakh settlement progresses,"
Kilic said.

Erdogan’s upcoming visit to Azerbaijan will focus on topics of mutual
concern, "because brothers discuss all issues, including the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement," the ambassador said.

"This will be a very important visit," he noted.

Reports that talks on Azerbaijan’s increasing gas price for Turkey
will take place during the visit have nothing to do with reality,
Kilic said.

Erdogan is expected to arrive in Baku on May 13, Turkish media
reported earlier.

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