AZERBAIJANI ANALYST: FOR AZERBAIJAN IT IS IMPORTANT WHAT TURKEY THINKS ABOUT IT

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Jan 14 2010
Azerbaijan

"Processes of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh are directly linked," Azerbaijani
political expert Rasim Musabayov said.

He was commenting on Russian FM Sergey Lavrov’s statement that the
two above-mentioned processes are not related.

"Attempts to artificially link these two processes are not right,"
Lavrov said.

"Sergey Lavrov’s statement are not original. Americans and Europeans
say the same. If they do not want to link these two processes, it is
their own business," Musabayov said.

"But Armenians themselves link these processes. They see improved
relations with Turkey as a major dividend that could delay withdrawal
of Armenia’s troops from occupied Azerbaijani territories, or to
obtain the best conditions for settling relations. But no one is
going to turn a blind eye to it," he said.

"For us it is important what Turkey thinks about it. In the end, it
will be Turkey who will open the border. The Turkish side says that
these two processes are linked. Everyone else will have to take it
for granted," he added.

"I think that these processes are directly linked. Because
Armenia began to toughen its negotiating position as soon as the
Armenian-Turkish dialogue was launched," the expert added.