Turkey’s PM: Armenia deal approval linked to Karabakh pullout

Turkey’s PM: Armenia deal approval linked to Karabakh pullout
Erdogan says Turkey would not look favourably on the accords, signed in
Zurich on Saturday, unless Armenia withdraws from Azerbaijani land.

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Sunday, 11 October 2009 14:55

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Armenia’s
withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan would help gain his
parliament’s approval for a peace accord signed between Turkey and
Armenia.

"We as a government paved the way for this co-operation, but whether or
not it will be applied is up to parliament to decide," he told a party
congress in Ankara.

Turkey would not look favourably on the accords, signed in Zurich on
Saturday, unless Armenia withdraws from Azerbaijani land, he said.

"If that issue is solved our people and our parliament will have a more
positive attitude towards this protocol and this process."

Erdogan said earlier this year he would not open the border until
Yerevan ended its occupation of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan on Sunday criticised Turkey-Armenia deal to normalise ties,
warned against unilateral opening of the Turkish-Armenian border
without any progress on Armenia-occupied Karabakh region.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties or economic relations since
Armenia declared its independence in 1991 and Turkey closed its border
with Armenia in 1993 after this country invaded the Upper-Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan.

In July 2008, the then Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan expressed
Turkey’s willingness to normalize relations with Yerevan.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul travelled to Armenia in September 2008
to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier match between the two
countries upon an invitation by President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia.

After months-long Swiss mediated talks, Turkey and Armenia agreed about
a month ago on a protocol to establish relations and open the border.

Azerbaijani and Armenian officials are also holding talks for over a
year to find a settlement to the Upper Karabakh dispute.

Gul invited Sargsyan to watch the return match in Turkey on October 14.
However, It is still unclear whether Sargsyah will travel to Turkey.

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