ROSS WILSON: "CONCLUSION OF THE LONG RUNNING TALKS ON KARABAKH IS ANOTHER ESSENTIAL PIECE WHICH NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA CAN REINFORCE" – EXCLUSIVE
APA
March 31 2009
Azerbaijan
Washington. Zaur Hasanov – APA. "Conclusion of these long running talks
that Minsk group co-chairs have been trying to lead for many years on
Karabakh is another essential piece which negotiations between Turkey
and Armenia can reinforce," Ross Wilson, former U.S. ambassador to
Azerbaijan and Turkey told APA’s US bureau.
To the question "Turkey claims to consider the interest of Azerbaijan
in the negotiations with Armenia on the border issue. Is there anything
that Turkey can offer to Azerbaijan which will cover the damage of
the border reopening?" Ross Wilson said: "I think what is critical in
that complicated part of the world that try to put together some of
the building blocks that produce peace. Peace for the relationship
between Turkey and Armenia, resolution perhaps between Azerbaijan
and Armenia on Nagorno Karabakh conflict, be able to reach to move
forward. I think what Turkey and Armenia are doing can be part of
that. I don’t think that I can advice the Azerbaijani leadership and
Azerbaijani people," he said.
The diplomat said there is no military solution in the Caucasus or
anywhere else. "Conflict is a dead end. And the solution for the
conflict is from dialog and peaceful cooperation. That’s why Turkey
is on the right path," he said.
The former ambassador said he had no information that the borders
between Armenia and Turkey will be reopened in April.
Ross Wilson was U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan in 2000-2003, and to
Turkey in 2005-2008.