TURKEY WILL NOT GIVE UP NAGORNO-KARABAKH ISSUE: AZERBAIJAN REMOVES FLAGS ANYWAY

Tert
Oct 21 2009
Armenia

"Azerbaijani lands are sacred for us and their liberation is of
the utmost priority in Turkey’s national issues. This position of
ours will not change even if the sky falls down to earth," Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated during a press conference in
Ankara recently.

"We raise the Nagorno-Karabakh issue during all of our meetings. The
meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and US President Barack
Obama held in Pittsburg was wholly devoted to the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue. The main topic of our president’s and Obama’s discussion, too,
was Nagorno-Karabakh. The main topic of my and Hillary Clinton’s
negotiations was the liberation issue of the territories. Turkey
continues this policy. There won’t be any changes in that.

"Everyone knows what we have done for Azerbaijan during the course
of history after gaining independence. We are going to do more for
them in the future. I say this to the Azerbaijani people. I believe
this process will end by coming out of the lands. Let no one doubt
Turkey’s role in this region and in the whole world."

As to controversies over the gas issue, Davutoglu stated that
negotiations still continue. "That is more so a trade issue. But the
Caspian Sea-Anatolia-Europe line is strategically important for us."

At the same time, Chief of the Public Policy Department of the
Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov explained "the
incident with the flags" in another way. According to him, "Removal
of foreign flags, including Turkish, in Baku and other places of
Azerbaijan recently has not been related to the repair or any other
[construction] work."

"Foreign flags will be hanged only in the places allowed by law. The
law says that the flags of foreign countries or international
organizations can be hanged only in front of their diplomatic missions,
consulates, offices or residences of the international organizations
and other places allowed by law. Therefore the flags were removed
under implementation of the law," said Hasanov.

This article was compiled from excerpts from various Turkish and
Azerbaijani media.