APA, Azerbaijan
May 16 2009

Recep Tayyip Erdogan: We will send back 40,000 Armenians working
illegally in Turkey, if necessary

[ 16 May 2009 10:55 ]

Warsaw – APA. `Turkey-Armenia relations are not the relations not
connected with any factor. There are issues connected with the
region. It is impossible to ignore them.

The problem between Azerbaijan and Armenia has an impact on us, too,’
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during his meeting
with students in Warsaw, APA reports quoting Turkish media. He said
the main demand of Turkey from Armenia was the withdrawal of troops
from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, including Nagorno Karabakh.

`We have not passed this decision, the UN passed the decision. Turkey
closed the borders with Armenia because of the occupation. There is
cause and consequence. The borders will be opened, when the
consequence is eliminated,’ he said.

Erdogan mentioned that 40,000 Armenians were living and working
illegally in Turkey.

`Why have they come to our country? Because there is great poverty in
Armenia. They are trying to earn their living in our country. We will
send them back, if necessary, but we do not do it because of
humaneness,’ he said.