AZERBAIJAN COMMENTS ON PROTOCOLS

/azerbaijan
07:14 pm | October 12, 2009

Politics

Azerbaijan started heated discussions on the Armenian-Turkish Protocols
signed in Zurich, Switzerland.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry was the first to come forth with a
statement. "Azerbaijan believes the pledges of brotherly Turkey and
is hopeful that the Karabakh conflict will be resolved within the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan."

Note that Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo"an made a
similar statement on October 11 saying that no breakthrough can be
anticipated in the relations unless Armenian troops are withdrawn
from the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

A number of politicians have shared opinions on the Protocols.

According to Wafa Guluzade, Turkey signed the Protocols under the
pressure of the USA.

The step was humiliating for Turkey, but Turkey signed the documents
to weaken Russia’s position in the region and to make Armenia withdraw
from the influence of Moscow, said Wafa Guluzade.

"Following the signing ceremony Serzh Sargsyan was summoned to Moscow
to detail the documents. I think Russia will play its game," said
the politician.

The expert says Turkey hopes to join the European Union, and therefore,
neglects the interests of Baku, and goes to a rapprochement with
Armenia.

Another Azerbaijani political scientist, Zardusht Alizadeh, believes
that the Protocols are advantageous to Armenia and Turkey in the
sense that Europe will remove senseless accusations from Ankara.

In addition, he argues that the settlement of the Karabakh conflict
lies in the lines of the Protocols since the signing ceremony was
attended by the OSCE Minsk Group.

Rasim Musabekov thinks the ratification will take a long time, since
the Armenian parliament will introduce some changes in the document
and make it inadmissible for Turkey.