TURKISH LEADER BACKS AZERBAIJAN ON KARABAKH PROBLEM
Afat Telmanqizi, Sehrac Azadoglu, ANS.
ANS TV
Nov 7 2007
Azerbaijan
[Presenter] Turkish President Abdullah Gul is continuing his visit
to Baku. He held a meeting with the leadership of the Milli Maclis
[parliament] and a group of members of parliament today. After that,
Abdullah Gul said in his address to parliament that his country will
not open its border with Armenia until the occupied Azerbaijani lands
are liberated.
[Correspondent] Turkish President Abdullah Gul who is paying his
first official visit to Azerbaijan held a meeting with the leadership
of the Milli Maclis and a group of members of parliament today. The
chairman of the Milli Maclis, Oqtay Asadov, said at the meeting that
Azerbaijan has always felt Turkey’s support in the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. Baku will also support Turkey both on the issue of Northern
Cyprus and on the fight against the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party].
The chairman of the parliament said confidently that Turkey will
not open its border with Armenia until the Nagornyy Karabakh issue
is solved.
After the meeting, the Turkish president addressed members of
parliament. Abdullah Gul said in his address that the populations of
Azerbaijan and Turkey share the same language, religion and culture.
The two countries maintain high-level relations in all spheres.
[Gul addressing parliament in Turkish] I feel as if I were speaking at
my own home and my own parliament here. Azerbaijan and Turkey maintain
comprehensive relations in the political, economic, diplomatic,
energy, trade, education, cultural and communications spheres.
[Correspondent] Touching on the joint projects being implemented by
Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region, the Turkish president said that
Azerbaijani oil has been granted access to the world market owing to
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Kazakhstan’s involvement in this
project will boost its value. The foundations of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars
railway will be laid soon. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline will be of special importance to
the development of the region. Those who have been sidelined from the
regional projects will realize how mistaken they were. Those who want
reconciliation and peace can participate in these projects.
At the same time, speaking about Armenian-Turkish relations, Abdullah
Gul said that the whole world can already see Armenia’s position with
regard to Turkey and Azerbaijan.
[Gul] We will try to secure the necessary involvement and support
in order to solve the Nagornyy Karabakh problem on the basis of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and in a peaceful way. As long
as Armenia continues its efforts to promote the recognition of the
1915 events in the parliaments of other countries, normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations should not be expected.
[Correspondent] The chairman of the Milli Maclis, Oqtay Asadov,
said once again that Azerbaijan will always support Turkey.
[Oqtay Asadov addressing parliament in Azeri] Our views and positions
dovetail in solving the most difficult problems of the modern period.
I am sure that these positions of the Azerbaijani and Turkish people
have always been and are the same both on the issues of Nagornyy
Karabakh and Northern Cyprus and on the fight against PKK terror. We
will always support each other.
[Correspondent] Oqtay Asadov said that Baku will never change its
position.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
