AZERBAIJAN AND TURKISH LEADERS HELD PHONE CONVERSATION SECOND TIME FOR LAST 10 DAYS

Azerbaijan Business Center
Oct 30 2009

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called
yesterday to his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul.

The Azerbaijani Presidential Administration’s press service informs
that President Aliyev wished the Turkish leader many happy returns
of the day and congratulated him on the occasion of Turkey’s national
holiday – the Day of Republic.

The Turkish President voiced his gratitude for congratulations and
displayed attention and gave his wishes to the Azerbaijani people. In
the course of the conversation the parties exchanged views on a range
of issues of mutual interest.

On 21 October, the Turkish leader himself phoned President Aliyev. The
two leaders covered then bipartite relationships, ways of settlement
of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno Garabagh conflict, and Turkish-Armenian
links.

Mr. Gul reiterated that without solution of the matter of Garabagh
conflict Turkish-Armenian ties could not be normalized. President
Aliyev, in his turn, thanked him.

After signing of the protocols between the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs of Turkey and Armenia and the insulting of Azerbaijani state
flag before Turkish-Armenian soccer match (unfurling of Azerbaijani
flags at the stadium was banned and the Turkish police simply threw out
Azeri flags into garbage cans) the Azerbaijani-Turkish relationships
incandesced. Azerbaijan is also displeased with Turkey’s position on
the occasion of Azeri gas transit through Turkish territory and made
statements about possible refusal from gas transit through Turkey.