Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 26 2009

Azerbaijan, Turkey reaffirm solidarity

Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu and his Azerbaijani counterpart,
Elmar Mammadyarov, visited a monument in memory of Azerbaijan’s former
President Haydar Aliyev in Ankara before starting their talks.
Underlining the presence of constant contact between Azerbaijani and
Turkish officials, Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu on Friday said the
two neighboring countries would not let any provocation impact their
bilateral relations, as he described Azerbaijani and Turkish people as
being from the same family.

The remarks by DavutoÄ?lu came at a joint press conference following
talks with Azerbaijan’s visiting Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.
The talks were apparently focused on ongoing efforts at normalization
between Armenia and Turkey and the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, with both DavutoÄ?lu and Mammadyarov
reiterating their earlier stances on both of the issues and without
elaborating on any new dimension.

`There cannot be any misunderstanding between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Like members of a family chatting with each other, we have never
broken off our contacts. We will not let any incitement come between
Turkey and Azerbaijan,’ DavutoÄ?lu said in response to a question in
which a journalist referred to a straining of relations between
Azerbaijan and Turkey over the protocols signed between Armenia and
Turkey on Oct. 10 to normalize relations and establish diplomatic
ties.

`Turkey and Azerbaijan are two states and one nation. Differences of
views are removed through talks,’ DavutoÄ?lu added, using a common
motto between the two countries.

For his part, while praising the current course of affairs in
bilateral relations, Mammadyarov said he agreed in what DavutoÄ?lu
said.

Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu and his Azerbaijani counterpart,
Elmar Mammadyarov, visited a monument in memory of Azerbaijan’s former
President Haydar Aliyev in Ankara before starting their talks.

The two ministers were actually expected to announce the annulment of
visa requirements between the two countries on Friday, but it didn’t
happen. When asked about the reason, Mammadyarov briefly said it was
because the Azerbaijani side failed to finish its related bureaucratic
procedure although the Turkish side had finished theirs. The press
conference, which was scheduled to start at 1 p.m., was delayed to 3
p.m. without any explanation.

In remarks reminiscent of those delivered by Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip ErdoÄ?an following a White House meeting with US President
Barack Obama on Dec. 7, DavutoÄ?lu emphasized that the `gained impetus’
in efforts of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should not be wasted.

The Minsk Group of the OSCE has striven to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, a territorial dispute between Baku and Yerevan, for 17
years.

Turkey’s policy regarding the Caucasus is to try to create a region
where all limitations and occupations are over, DavutoÄ?lu said.
`Within this framework, we believe that a two-way normalization will
lay the ground for regional welfare,’ he added, offering a comparison
between the issues of normalization of relations between Ankara and
Yerevan and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between
Baku and Yerevan.

Not only the three co-chairs of the Minks group — namely France,
Russia and the United States — but all international actors involved
should do their best for `keeping and also gradually increasing the
current impetus,’ which was not kept in the last 17 years.

`We are very close to the peace in the Caucasus. Everybody should do
their best so that this [opportunity] isn’t lost; and so that peoples
of the region can embrace each other.’

In Washington, ErdoÄ?an had said: `We have also discussed relations
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which are of great importance. This is
important in the context of Turkish-Armenian relations. We have
discussed the Minsk Group and what the Minsk Group can do to add more
impetus to that process. I can say that to have more impetus in the
Minsk process is going to have a very positive impact on the overall
process, because the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia
is very much related to these issues. As the administration in Turkey,
we are determined to move forward in this area.’

Following ErdoÄ?an’s remarks, Armenian officials threatened to annul
the protocols signed by Ankara and Yerevan in October for the
normalization of relations if Ankara fails to ratify them before
April.

`The will of Parliament is above everything,’ DavutoÄ?lu firmly said;
in response to a Azerbaijani journalist’s question whether the
government would pressure Parliament for the ratification.

`We are sincere in our desire to normalize our relations [with
Armenia],’ he also said, while reiterating his call for dealing with
the issue with a `visionary’ approach instead of by enacting arbitrary
deadlines.

Ankara wants `a comprehensive normalization,’ in the region, he said,
adding: `Now, all parties involved should act on a positive scenario
and focus on the future.’

Mammadyarov, meanwhile, became the first foreign visitor to be hosted
at DavutoÄ?lu’s official Foreign Ministry residence. Energy cooperation
and the two countries’ efforts in Afghanistan were among the issues
discussed by the two ministers.

26 December 2009, Saturday
TODAY’S ZAMAN ANKARA

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress