DAVUTOGLU: ANKARA’S POSITION ON KARABAKH UNWAVERING

Today’s Zaman
Oct 20 2009
Turkey

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) held a joint press conference with
Czech Foreign Minister and Deputy PM Jan Kohout in Ankara on Monday.

In strongly worded remarks, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu once
more made clear on Monday that there is no place for speculation
regarding Turkey’s policy concerning an end to the occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh as a fundamental national cause.

At a joint press conference following his talks with visiting Czech
Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, Davutoglu was reminded that authorities in
Azerbaijan recently took down Turkish flags situated around monuments
commemorating Turkish soldiers. Azerbaijan and Turkish flags are
equally sacred for both Turkish government officials and the people
of Turkey, Davutoglu said, noting that the liberation of Azerbaijan
territories from occupation is a fundamental national cause for Turkey.

"First of all, our position will continue [to be] like this. Using an
old Turkish expression, Turkey’s position won’t change even if the sky
falls down to earth. This is a matter of principles," Davutoglu said.

Last week, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev expressed
dissatisfaction with Turkey’s terms for natural gas trade, suggesting
that his energy-rich Caspian Sea country could seek other avenues for
exports. Aliyev’s remarks suggested that Azerbaijan’s dismay over
Turkey’s efforts to reconcile with foe Armenia could hurt Western
hopes of reducing the European Union’s reliance on Russia for gas.

Azerbaijan has criticized Turkey for reaching a deal last weekend that
foresees establishing diplomatic ties with Armenia and for opening
their shared border, saying there should be no reconciliation until
the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh — an area in Azerbaijan that has
been held by Armenians since a war in the early 1990s — is settled.

Azerbaijan fears the deal with Turkey will discourage Armenia from
giving ground in the dispute.

Aliyev did not mention the Turkish-Armenian agreement, but his remarks
displayed dissatisfaction with his country’s traditional ally.

Only a day before Aliyev’s remarks, Turkish flags around the monument
of 1,130 Turkish soldiers who died while fighting for Azerbaijan’s
independence in 1918 were taken down by the mayor of Baku’s Sabayıl
district on Thursday. Azerbaijani authorities, however, dismissed
the notion that the act was part of a campaign; rather, it was done
due to a law on the flags of foreign countries and international
organizations.

"Our martyrs who died for the independence of Azerbaijan on Azerbaijani
lands and who came from all corners of Anatolia and the Balkans,
the Middle East and Aleppo, which are not within our borders now,
our flag under the shadow of which our martyrs are sleeping now and
our martyrdom mosque where prayers are said for our martyrs have been
— before everything else — entrusted to the dignity and honor of
the Azerbaijani people. We expect that respect will be shown to this
honor; we’re sure that it will be shown. We have no doubt about this,"
Davutoglu said in remarks clearly reflecting his disappointment over
the official implementation regarding the Turkish cemetery.

"What we have been told is that this is a temporary arrangement as a
result of restoration of the area. This [cemetery] is common heritage
for us [Turks and Azerbaijanis]," he added. "We have full confidence in
the Azerbaijani people. We know their fondness of Turkey. We will never
let efforts of sowing discord between Turkey and Azerbaijan succeed."

Davutoglu said he is confident that the best answer to such efforts —
despite assurances that have been constantly given to Azerbaijan on
every ground by President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and himself — will be given by "Azerbaijani siblings and
kinsmen with whom we have shared joint destiny and history."

"For Turkey, a policy change on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute that
could result in speculation is out of the question," the minister
said, underlining once more the importance he attaches to Turkey
being perceived from the right angle by the people of Azerbaijan.

In regards to Aliyev’s dissatisfaction with Turkey’s terms for natural
gas trade, Davutoglu briefly said negotiations between parties on
the issue have still been going on, noting that it was not only
an issue for Azerbaijan and Turkey but was rather an issue for the
international consortium.

The minister avoided giving a clear answer when asked whether he would
attend a foreign ministerial level meeting of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC), which will be held in Baku on Thursday.