Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2009
Azerbaijani Diaspora in talks with Turkish Diaspora to prevent opening
Turkish-Armenian border
Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 14 / Trend News M.Aliyev /
The Azerbaijani Diaspora has begun negotiations with the Turkish
Diaspora to prevent opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders.
"We are negotiating with the Turkish Diaspora and other Diasporas
functioning in Europe. The Turkish organizations are also protesting
against disclose of the Turkish-Armenian borders. It is necessary to
act with patience to avoid political problems," Chairman of the
Benelux Azerbaijanis Congress Elsavar Mammadov told Trend News on
Oct.14.
Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocol in Zurich on Oct. 10.
Azerbaijani MPs, including Samad Seyidov, Nizami Jafarov, Ali
Huseynov, Ganira Pashayeva, Mubariz Gurbanli, Fazil Gazanfaroglu,
Akram Abdullayev, Gultakin Hajibeyli, Asef Hajiyev, Rovshan Rzayev and
Fazail Agamali will hold several meetings in Ankara to discuss the
situation.
Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia’s
claims to recognize so-called "Armenian genocide" and Armenia’s
occupation of Azerbaijani lands.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the peace negotiations.
According to Mammadov, signing of the Turkey-Armenia protocols on
establishment of relations does not mean opening of the border.
Chairman of the Congress of Georgian Azerbaijanis Ali Babayev told
Trend News that they held talks with regional representatives of the
Turkish Parliament.
"During the negotiations, the Azerbaijani Diaspora expressed hope that
Turkey will not leave the fraternal country in a difficult position.
We have told them that the Turkish-Armenian borders should not be
opened until the Nagorno-Karabakh problem resolved," Babayev said.