ANKARA CAN FOLLOW BAKU IN CREATING GOOD RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL – AZERBAIJANI MP

news.az, Azerbaijan
Jan 15 2010

Evda Abramov News.Az interviews Azerbaijani MP Evda Abramov, chairman
of the Azerbaijan-Israel interparliamentary working group.

Does Turkey’s increased activity in the region have a positive impact
on the resolution of the Karabakh conflict?

Turkey aims to increase its influence through its recent steps in the
region. This policy is justified. I am confident that Turkey’s role
in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is as unquestionable as
Russia’s. Although the key to the solution of this issue is certainly
in Russia, Turkey as a big country in the region and as a country
that has great influence in the Islamic world may play its role in
the conflict settlement. Azerbaijan expects much from Turkey on the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict and for our part we support the
steps that it takes. It would be better if this problem were settled
under the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
because we do not know the position that Turkey’s next government will
take. But Erdogan’s government is willing to settle this problem, as
it has already promised in the Azerbaijani parliament, at a meeting
with the country’s leadership and before the world. At the same time,
the world already accepts Turkey’s influence in the international
arena. I think 2010 will be successful for the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict as the discussion of this issue has intensified
in the international arena. None of the regional superpowers
can gain influence without settlement of the conflict. Turkey’s
close involvement in the conflict resolution proves the success
of its policy. Turkey may have realized that if it wants to be an
influential Muslim state, it should first support Azerbaijan. This
is the only problem in which Azerbaijan wants Turkey to be by its
side. It settles other issues independently, as the country is
influential in the region and its economy is developing. Moreover,
the settlement of various problems in the world cannot be imagined
without Azerbaijan’s participation.

What dividends can discussion of the Karabakh problem by the Turkish
prime minister and the US and Russian presidents bring to the conflict
settlement?

It is pleasing that Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the opening of the
Turkish-Armenian border and resolution of the Karabakh conflict at
the meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin and also during his speech at Moscow State Institute of
International Relations. It is also pleasing that Recep Tayyip Erdogan
discussed these issues at his meeting with US President Barack Obama
as well as at his meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. This
gives hope that events are developing positively.

Unfortunately, negative trends can be seen in the region, especially
the cooling in relations between the fraternal states of Turkey and
Azerbaijan This situation favours neither Turkey nor Azerbaijan.

How can the recent developments in relations between Turkey and Israel
influence the region?

Turkey is annoyed at the obstacles to its EU accession. As a result,
Turkey has recently been improving ties with Syria and Iran. Some
cooling has been observed in relations between Turkey and the West on
some issues. This situation has damaged relations between Turkey and
Israel. The situation between the two countries began to deteriorate
with the incident between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli President
Shimon Peres in Davos in January 2009 [Erdogan walked off the stage
in Davos after a heated debate on Gaza with Shimon Peres]. I think
Erdogan’s actions in Davos do not meet diplomatic etiquette. In this
case, I do not support any side, but Erdogan’s action caused a cooling
in relations between the two countries.

Unfortunately, recent events between the two countries have cooled
relations further. Certainly, such events are unpleasant. Israel
supports different views on relations with Turkey. In this case, it
should be taken into account that the Israeli government is formed
on a party basis. Every party has its vision of relations with Turkey.

Some are in favour of warm relations with Turkey, while others muddy
the waters.

How can the cooling of Turkish-Israeli relations influence the
settlement of conflicts in the region?

We have always said that Turkey should have used Israel’s potential
in settling the Karabakh conflict. We have been striving for that and
we have always raised this issue during visits to Israel. Moreover,
we have always sought to create closer relations between Turkey and
Israel, but unfortunately this has not happened. Nevertheless, I do
hope that these two countries will settle the diplomatic problems
between them, especially since Israel’s deputy foreign minister,
Danny Ayalon, has already apologized for the incident between him
and Turkish ambassador Ahmet Oguz Celikkol [Ayalon summoned Celikkol
to a meeting to rebuke him over a Turkish TV series which gives a
negative portrayal of Israeli soldiers and ensured that Celikkol was
filmed sitting on a lower chair with no Turkish flag on display]. This
kind of incident occurs in interstate relations. But, unfortunately,
the cooling of relations between two states friendly to Azerbaijan
complicates the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and means delays
in resolution of the conflict.

May forces inside Israel take advantage of the cooling of relations
with Turkey to raise the issue of the recognition of the so-called
"Armenian genocide" in the Knesset?

I have always been concerned about this. We should not forget that
this issue remains on the agenda of the US Congress and the Israeli
Knesset. Of course, the issue may be passed, but it should be noted
that Azerbaijani diplomacy is one of the reasons why this issue has
not been raised in these countries. The worsening of Turkish-Israeli
relations serves Armenia’s interests. Armenia wants to see differences
between Turkey and Israel in order to achieve the recognition of
"genocide".

A year ago the "genocide" issue was included on the Knesset agenda.

Yet we, a group of Azerbaijani parliamentarians, visiting Israel for
three days, managed to have this issue taken off the agenda. However,
after the recent events between Turkey and Israel some forces in
Israel, in particular, members of the Israel-Armenia interparliamentary
group, as well as pro-Palestinian groups, have already attempted to
raise this issue again.

How do you evaluate the current level of relations between Azerbaijan
and Israel?

Relations between Azerbaijan and Israel are wonderful. Despite negative
relations between neighbouring states Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev invited Israeli President Shimon Peres to Baku.

Turkey can follow Azerbaijan’s example in creating positive relations
with Israel. But Turkey’s stubbornness hampers this line. However,
Azerbaijan acts objectively in its relations with every country,
thereby demonstrating its independence.

Does the absence of an Azerbaijani embassy in Israel influence the
development of relations between the two countries?

Certainly, the absence of an Azerbaijani embassy in Israel complicates
the full protection of the interests of our country in Israel. We
are a strong diaspora of about 100,000 people in Israel. This is a
strong power. Unfortunately, due to the absence of an embassy, we
are not able to tackle a number of issues there. We hold events only
through the Azerbaijan-Israel cultural centre. But we want to tackle
more important, global issues in relations between the two countries.

Namik Guseynov News.Az

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress