TURKEY’S PRES VISITS AZERBAIJAN TAKING A STEP FURTHER FOR MEDIATING
Hurriyet
Sept 10 2008
Turkey
Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul visited Azerbaijan on Wednesday to
discuss recent developments in the region, taking a step forward in
his country’s efforts to help the resolution of conflicts. Efforts
to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh are expected to be among top issues on
the agenda. (UPDATED)
"We are going to share our assessments on the latest developments in
the region with Aliyev… We are going to discuss Caucasus Stability
and Partnership Platform. I am going to explain my impressions from my
visit to Armenia last week" Gul told reporters at the airport before
he left for Azerbaijani capital Baku.
It would be unfair if his visit to Armenia has bothered them, the
Turkish president told reporters on his way to Baku.
"Turkey has offered the greatest support to Azerbaijan in this (its
conflict with Armenia) case, sacrificing its own interests," he said.
He added neither the United States nor the European Union urged him
to make the visit to Yerevan.
Gul’s Azerbaijan visit came a while after his landmark visit to
Yerevan. Azerbaijan and Armenia have no diplomatic relations due to
Yerevan’s invasion of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory.
Turkey had proposed the formation of Caucasian alliance to help the
resolution of conflicts through dialogue. Turkey, Russia, Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan are planned to take part in this new formation.
Ankara has intensified its diplomatic efforts for the Caucasus region
as well as Middle East since the Georgia-Russia war in August.
Gul paid an historic visit to Armenia last weekend, taking an
important step in normalization of relation. Turkey and Armenia
do not have diplomatic relations because of Armenia’s aggression
against Azerbaijan.
FROZEN CONFLICTS
The recent developments show it is likely to see renewed efforts to
solve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, involving Turkey.
Nagorno Karabakh is a region of Azerbaijan which has been under the
occupation of Armenia since the war broke out between the two states
in 1988-1994.
In 1988 when the disputed region’s Armenian-dominated governing
council voted to secede from Azerbijan, it set of a series of bloody
clashes both between and within the two neighboring countries. Some
10 percent of the Azeri population was displaced.
The Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe is a body co-headed by Russia, the United States and France
and appointed to mediate in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Gul’s visit to Yerevan can start a new period between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. Turkey, a member of Minsk Group, is expected to overtake
the mediator role in the conflict.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Wednesday he was trying to
organize a meeting with his Armenia and Azerbaijan counterparts to
discuss decades-old disputes plaguing ties between them.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister responded positively to talk of a
trilateral meeting, a spokesman said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
