Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Dec 25 2009

Turkish, Azeri foreign ministers discuss relations with Armenia,
regional issues

Ankara, 25 December: Turkish foreign minister has sought to give
assurances that relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan would remain
strong.

"We will not let anyone ruin relations between the two countries and
we will not let anyone set our countries against each other," Ahmet
Davutoglu told a joint press meeting [on] Friday [25 December] with
Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov after a meeting in Ankara.

Davutoglu said Turkey and Azerbaijan held regular contacts in mutual
visits, as well as regular consultations over the telephone.

"It is out of question that Turkey and Azerbaijan are estranged from
each other. Just as there are direct talks or consultations in a
family, there are direct consultations and contacts between the two
countries which we have never hampered," Davutoglu said.

The Turkish foreign minister said Turkey and Azerbaijan always
discussed any issue openly and "with the same perspective".

"That is why Turkey and Azerbaijan are one nation and two states,"
Davutoglu told reporters.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday that they
considered Caucasus would reach peace soon, and everyone should fulfil
his/her task not to miss the opportunity.

Davutoglu also said Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan would pay a
formal visit to Azerbaijan soon with a crowded delegation.

"We fully support the steps which have been taken for a solution to
Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict," he said.

"We think that normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations as well
as Turkish-Armenian relations will constitute an important ground for
regional prosperity and stability," Davutoglu said.

In regard to Caucasus, Davutoglu said, "We think that peace will be
secured in Caucasus soon. Everyone should do what is required for
solution of problems." There is a full cooperation between Turkey and
Azerbaijan regarding the matter, he said.

Davutoglu said Mammadyarov and he discussed regional matters,
developments in Afghanistan and energy projects in their meeting, and
the two parties confirmed once again that Turkey and Azerbaijan would
work together in energy projects in Eurasia.

Azerbaijan’s foreign minister has said prospects of stability and
security in the Caucasus looked dim unless Armenian occupation over
part of Azeri soil ended.

"The biggest problem for Azerbaijan in the region is the Upper
Karabakh, which is under Armenian invasion and the situation of the
displaced people. We cannot speak of stability and security in a
setting where 20 per cent of Azeri territory is under occupation,"
Elmar Mammadyarov told reporters Friday in a joint press conference
with Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in the Turkish capital,
Ankara.

The Upper Karabakh region has been under Armenian occupation since a
1994 cease-fire which followed a six-year war between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. The region is internationally recognized as part of
Azerbaijan.

Mammadyarov said Friday’s talks with Davutoglu discussed in detail
efforts to maintain stability in the region, adding that Azerbaijan
attached great importance to peace in the Caucasus.

The Azeri minister also said an agreement with Turkey to lift visa
requirements between the two countries was not signed due to a number
of bureaucratic shortcomings on the Azeri side, which he said would be
overcome soon.