AZERBAIJANI RULING PARTY HOPES TURKISH PM TO DISCUSS NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IN US IN DETAIL

Trend
April 7 2010
Azerbaijan

The Turkish prime minister’s visit to the U.S. is of great importance,
the Azerbaijani ruling party’s deputy executive secretary believes.

"During Rejep Tayyib Erdogan’s visit it is planned to discuss in large
the nuclear security, relations between Turkey and the U.S., as well
as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," MP Mubariz Gurbanly, the ruling New
Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Deputy Executive Secretary, said to NAP website.

The Turkish PM’s visit is scheduled for April 12-13.

Presently, there are still forces in the United States which consider
the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border as a mean to remove tension
in the region. "However, this is a wrong approach, because Turkey
closed border with Armenia due to occupation of Azerbaijani lands
by Armenia. Namely, after the occupation of the Kalbajar region,
Turkey closed border in a unilateral order. Opening border by Turkey
in case when the reason for it has not been removed would be a direct
justification to Armenian aggression," Gurbanly said.

The U.S. thinks in case the border between Turkey and Armenia opens
warm relations will be established between the these two countries,
Armenian side will come out from constructive position in the talks
over the Nagorno-Karabakh and Nagorno-Karabakh dispute will be solved.

"However, these circles are either unaware of Armenian policy, or
simply want opening the Turkey-Armenia border in this way. If Turkey
opens border, it will not really help solving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. In the contrary, it will lead to toughening the Armenians’
position in the talks over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Therefore,
Azerbaijan voiced its opinion to Turkey about opening border. Overall
public opinion is also against opening the border," Gurbanly said.

The parliamentary majority in Turkey supports this issue and note
the opening of border is a wrong step. "Turkey’s public opinion also
backs keeping border closed. Influence on the Turkish PM during
the visit to the U.S. and opening of border are less likelihood,"
Gurbanly underscored.

Erdogan’s visit to the U.S., his talks and discussions with President
Barack Obama, indeed, are not limited only to problems of the Caucasian
region. "During the visit the discussions will concern issues related
to the Near East, state in the region, proliferation of nuclear arms,
Iranian-Turkish and Iranian-west relations and West’s sanctions with
regard to Iran. It is also planned to mull Turkey’s position on these
matters and interaction of the United States and Turkey. However,
one of directions of Turkey’s policy is the establishment of peace
and prosperity in the Caucasus. Therefore, the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict takes an important place in U.S.-Turkey relations. Presently,
Azerbaijan also acts in this direction.

Diasporas of Azerbaijan and Turkey, which are the sates of one nation,
i.e. "one nation and two states", carry out joint activities, and
take real steps and in this direction," he added.

A fruitful visit of the Azerbaijani delegation led by Academician Ramiz
Mehdiyev, head-of-staff of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration,
to Turkey, particularly, agreements achieved during it, created very
serious and real grounds for joint Azerbaijani-Turkish activities in
the region in whole. "Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, as well as
success of policy played an important role in destroying Armenians’
intentions. It testifies for Azerbaijan’s priority position in settling
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In the diplomatic front Azerbaijan
left behind Armenia, as it seems in every field," Gurbanly said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.