TURKISH EXPERT: IF MINSK GROUP DEMANDS COMPROMISES FROM AZERBAIJAN CONTRADICTING THE INTERNATIONAL LAW IT WILL DESTROY THE PROCESS

APA
Feb 10 2010
Azerbaijan

"Development of relations with Armenia is impossible if it doesn’t
give up its territorial claims against Turkey and stop occupation of
Azerbaijan’s lands"

Baku. Lachin Sultanova, Gulshan Hajiyeva – APA. Head of Turkish Center
for Strategic and International Studies Celal Cem Oguz gives interview
to Azerbaijani mass media

-The mediators say that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be solved
basing on compromise. What compromise is expected from Azerbaijan? May
they say that the occupied territories expect Nagorno Karabakh should
be released?

-I do not know what compromises are expected from Azerbaijan. If a
country is right, wants to protect its territorial integrity, the
level of the required compromise is also known. If they want more,
this country will not agree to it, it means that those who want it are
not benevolent. There is the issue of territorial integrity. What is
the first condition of the international politics? The inviolability
of borders. The international system has been founded basing on this.

If there are more demands from Azerbaijan, I do not believe that they
are benevolent. If it is right, I am disappointed with the position of
Minsk Group. Because the initiative concerning the settlement of the
problem is in hand of Minsk Group. If Minsk Group acts contradicting
to the international law it will destroy the process.

-Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiated to establish
Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform. How real is the
realization of this idea?

-This is a very good idea. Being an expert for the region, I support
this idea. But I do not believe that the idea will be realized under
the present circumstances and with the current position of Armenia.

Turkey has done its best for the cooperation in the Caucasus. But the
signs from Armenia show that they do not have such a will. Despite
the good idea, I think it is not real now. It should be discussed in
future if the conditions improve.

-What should be done for this?

-First of all, Armenia should normalize its relations with Turkey and
Azerbaijan. Turkey closed the border with Armenia for two reasons:
Armenia’s territorial claims against Turkey, occupation of Azerbaijani
territories. Bzhezinsky says foreign policy looks like a spaceship,
it is impossible to maneuver much. It is impossible to make radical
changes in Turkey’s foreign policy concerning this issue. If these
two wishes are not fulfilled and there is no coordination on these
two issues, relations with Armenia cannot be developed.

-Turkish Foreign Ministry official visited Switzerland and the United
States due to the situation created around the protocols. What do
you think, what Ankara will demand from the United States concretely?

-I think two issues will be on agenda. First, they will require
to pressure on Armenia because there are great differences between
what they say now and what they said earlier. Second one is that the
Armenian Diaspora sends the "genocide" resolution to the Congress. It
will not have positive effect on the process, but in contrary will
cut it. I think the United States will be informed about that.

-Armenia prepared bill giving to the president an authority to withdraw
his signature under the protocols.

-It is not a good initiative. It is a trick. Of course, Armenia’s
domestic policy should be taken into consideration. What reaction did
these protocols cause in Armenia? It should be reviewed. Armenian
authorities have two intentions: first, to keep domestic protests
against its policy and second, if affairs with Turkey are going
backward, to use it as a mean of threat. At last it is an initiative
against the spirit of the process.

-Recently the opening of Azerbaijani representation in Palestine and
Palestinian in Azerbaijan came to agenda. How is reaction of Turkey
to the improvement of Azerbaijan-Palestine relations?

-I should have more details to express opinion about this issue. But
I can say easily that if Azerbaijan makes such decision, Turkey will
like it because Palestine should also integrate into the international
system. Palestine needs in support in this period because it is
experiencing hard days. If there is such decision it must be welcomed.

-Israeli Foreign Minister visited Azerbaijan. How is Turkey’s opinion
about the development of Azerbaijan-Israel relations? Does it have
any negative case for Turkey?

-It will never be so. Turkey welcomes good relations of Azerbaijan
with the international actors. We have no right to dispute it. If
Azerbaijan wishes to develop its relations with Israel and other
countries, we respect its decision.

-What is your opinion about future of Nabucco project?

-This is very important project. The energy was the main factor
determining the international system since later 19th century until
present, especially after 1990s. The United States declared its
national energy policy in 2001 calling the energy story as declining
of sources and increasing of dependence. It needs to diversify
sources and to guarantee security of proposals. The Caspian region
is very important for independence from the Middle East. Azerbaijan
and Kazakhstan are very important. Nabucco is a serious project for
diversification of the resources. It requires serious thinking on it
and keeping it on agenda. It will be very sad if Nabucco is stopped. I
don’t believe that this project will fail. It is important to make
sustainable energy and proposal security. Nabucco should be carried
out for that. I am optimist.