TURKISH-ARMENIAN RAPPROCHEMENT NOT TO HARM AZERBAIJAN’S INTERESTS
Turan News Agency
Sept 3 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku, 2 September: In an exclusive interview to Turan, the head of
the Foreign Relations Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential
Administration, Novruz Mammadov, has voiced official Baku’s position
on the latest Turkish-Armenian agreements.
"That is a sovereign right of any state to establish relations with
another state. However, we think Turkey knows that this issue is
very painful for us and has a major effect on Azerbaijan’s national
interests," Mammadov said.
He then recalled the speech that the Turkish prime minister had made
in Baku in May and promises he gave at that time.
"We regard the latest remarks by the Turkish foreign minister as
a confirmation of the promises to take Azerbaijan’s interests into
account, i.e. if the territories are not liberated and the Karabakh
conflict is not settled, Turkey will not withdraw from its position,"
he said.
How can the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement influence the Karabakh
settlement?
Answering this question, Mammadov said that it might have a major
influence.
"Before the issue [the establishment of Turkish-Armenian ties] is
submitted to the Turkish parliament for consideration, a very serious
progress should be achieved in the [Karabakh] settlement," he said.
Does this mean that the opening of the [Turkish-Armenian] border and
the [Karabakh] conflict settlement should be solved in one context?
Mammadov said that "in principle, the issue[s] may be solved in
one context or separately". He did not rule out the possibility
of Azerbaijan submitting the issue for consideration at the United
Nations.
May one agree with Yerevan’s remarks that the agreements with Turkey
have become Armenia’s diplomatic victory?
Answering this question, Mammadov said that if the opening of the
Turkish-Armenian border takes place regardless of the results of
the [Karabakh] conflict, that will run counter to the interests of
Azerbaijan and is unacceptable for Baku.
"As to remarks by the Armenian leadership, do not count your chickens
before they are hatched," Mammadov said.
He said in conclusion that the next meeting between the Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents might take place till the end of the year.