TURKEY-US RELATIONS TO ENTER NEW STAGE, MP
news.az
April 9 2010
Azerbaijan
Fazail Agamali News.Az interviews Fazail Agamali, chairman of the Ana
Vatan (Motherland) Party and deputy of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani
parliament).
Turkish Premier Erdogan has said today that the Karabakh issue will
be the top priority at all negotiations between Turkey and Armenia
in the United States. Do you think these negotiations will make the
Karabakh conflict settlement closer?
I believe Erdogan’s visit to the United States primarily serves to the
strengthening of the Turkish-US relations, as well as the formation
of the correct position of the United States to the events of the
so-called "Armenian genocide".
I think that relations between Turkey and the United States will enter
a new phase after Erdogan’s visit. This is mainly preceded by several
factors. First, the United States is now paying more attention to
the problems in the Muslim world, as well as the Middle East. Second,
the United States would never accept the loss of Turkey as its leading
ally in the region.
In this context, it is not ruled out that the issue of safety in the
South Caucasus will also be actively discussed. At a meeting with Obama
Erdogan will report on recent negotiations on the Karabakh settlement.
How far do you think Azerbaijan is from the Karabakh conflict
settlement?
I cannot tell the exact forecast about the steps that distance
Azerbaijan from the Karabakh conflict settlement. The achievements
have recently been observed but I am not upbeat on the Karabakh
conflict settlement.
The negotiations held via the Minsk Group seems doubtful to me since
the co-chairs apply double standards and are not interested in the
conflict settlement.
How do you assess possible joint coexistence of Azerbaijanis and
Armenians?
If Armenia puts an end to its occupational policy and recognizes the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Armenians living in Nagorno
Karabakh can live in peace. In this case, the relations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia will be normalized as we should not forget
that Armenians are our neighbors.
Separate countries and states had problems with neighbors, in
particular, between France and England, France-Germany, Russia and
Germany, however, peace again established between the countries
afterward. This case is also an exception. If Armenia fulfills all
Azerbaijani requirements, the relations between our countries will
also improve and I do not see any serious problems in coexistence of
two nations.
Do you think the visits of intellectuals to Nagorno Karabakh make
the problem settlement closer?
I think the principle of ‘people’s diplomacy’ can be applied only in
case Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and
liberates occupied lands.