TURKISH FM SENDS TERSE MESSAGE TO ARMENIA
AzerNews Weekly
May 27 2009
Azerbaijan
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davudoglu has sent a terse message to
Armenia, affirming that Ankara backs Azerbaijan`s fair cause in the
long-standing conflict with its hostile neighbor.
"The Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict and the liberation of the
Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan is of great importance
for Turkey, and no one should doubt that," Davudoglu told reporters
in Baku after talks with his counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov on Tuesday.
He once again assured the Azerbaijani government and people that, just
as was the case throughout history, Turkey will stand by Azerbaijan
now and in the future.
"This is the message I have brought to Azerbaijan from my country`s
leadership and 70 million Turkish citizens."
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 due to its occupation
of Azerbaijani territories and its claims regarding the alleged
World War I-era genocide. However, there have lately been signs of
normalization in Ankara-Yerevan ties. The two countries` leaders
attended a 2010 World Cup qualifying soccer match together in Yerevan
in September 2008 when Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish president
to visit Armenia. Since then, diplomatic efforts aimed at mending ties
continued, and some reports earlier circulated that Turkey plans to
open its border with Armenia soon, sparking an outcry in Azerbaijan.
Some in Turkey say the country may open the border, which utterly
perturbs the Azerbaijani public.
Nonetheless, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during
a visit to Baku May 12-13 that Turkey will not open up its border
with Armenia before the occupation of Azerbaijani territories ends.
Davudoglu said the Garabagh conflict must be resolved under the
auspices of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, in accord with relevant
United Nations decisions. He also emphasized that progress is discerned
in the peace process for the first time in over a decade and advised
not to miss this valuable opportunity.
The UN has already passed five resolutions on the unconditional
pullout of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani
territories. Nonetheless, Yerevan is sticking to its policy of
occupation and ignoring international law.
"Frozen conflicts in the region are like bombs that can explode
any moment," the Turkish minister said, adding that talks should be
continued to advance their solution.