HURRIYET: ERDOGAN LEAVES FOR AZERBAIJAN WITH A PLAN IN EXCHANGE FOR OPENING OF BORDER WITH ARMENIA
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.05.2009 11:12 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left for
Azerbaijan on Tuesday to reassure its leaders that Turkey’s efforts
to reconcile with Armenia would not undermine Baku’s interests.
The visit is aimed at "eradicating misunderstandings and
misperceptions" over Turkey’s policies, Erdogan told reporters before
his departure, pledging that Azeri interests remained a priority
for Ankara.
"Nobody should have the slightest doubt that Turkey will continue to
defend Azerbaijan’s interests as it has done so far," he said. "Our
relations are strong and based on a culture of fraternity."
Erdogan, accompanied by several ministers, including Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu and Energy Minister Taner Yildiz is scheduled to meet
with President Ilham Aliyev and address the Azeri parliament Wednesday.
Erdogan is expected to arrive with a proposal on "liberation" of five
regions. If Baku accepts it, he will discuss it in Russia with Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi Saturday.
The Ankara-Yerevan thaw has reportedly disturbed Azerbaijan. Some
media reports have suggested that Azerbaijan, a supplier of oil and
gas to Europe, might even halt the sale of natural gas to Turkey.
Russia, which has been mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
Nagorno Karabakh, is reportedly pushing for a summit between Aliyev
and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in June aimed at moving to
formally end the conflict, Hurriyet reported.