ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT ‘OVERSHADOWS TURKEY-AZERBAIJAN BROTHERLY RELATIONS’
Tert.am
16:56 ~U 12.02.10
Normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations before the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is resolved is against Azerbaijan’s national interests and
affects Turkey-Azerbaijan relations, reads an official statement
issued by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement, in part, reads:
"The position of the Azerbaijani side on this issue [Armenia-Turkey
rapprochement] is unequivocal. In 1993, Turkey closed its borders
with Armenia in protest against the occupation of the Azerbaijani
territories by Armenia and its aggression against Azerbaijan….
"Mending relations between Turkey and Armenia before the withdrawal
of Armenian forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories directly
contradicts the national interests of Azerbaijan and overshadows the
spirit of brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey built on
deep historical roots.
"Taking into the consideration the importance of opening all borders
and communications in the region, Azerbaijan is of the opinion that
the one-sided opening of the Turkish-Armenian border will put into
question the architecture of peace and security in the region."