Azerbaijan, Turkey support each other on Karabakh, Cyprus – leaders
ANS TV, Baku
30 Jun 05
[Presenter] Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan began his
first day with a visit to the grave of [ex-President] Heydar Aliyev
and then to the Martyrs’ Avenue. The prime minister, who also wrote his
thoughts in the memorial book, laid a wreath at the monument to Turkish
soldiers who died while liberating Baku in 1918. He also made a note
in the memorial book here. Then he came to the Presidential Palace.
President Ilham Aliyev and Erdogan held a press conference.
[Erdogan speaking in Turkish at the conference] We continue to take
the same position on events around Nagornyy Karabakh. As for Armenia,
Turkey will continue to stand by Azerbaijan just like it has done
until now. On the Nagornyy Karabakh issue, our position is the same
as that of the Azerbaijani authorities.
We have responded in the same way to all the offers and demands we
have received. The Council of Europe has recognized Armenia as an
invader in Nagornyy Karabakh as a result of special efforts made by
Turkey. Therefore, the invader must retreat from the occupied land.
This must be done. Turkey is in favour of resolving this problem
through dialogue, and this resolution is naturally connected with
the behaviour of Armenia which must retreat from the territory it
has invaded.
[Ilham Aliyev] We are ready to do our best to help northern Cyprus to
find a way out of isolation. The esteemed prime minister has already
spoken out on this. I said today that various Azerbaijani companies,
including travel agencies, will open their offices in northern
Cyprus. Flights will be organized from Azerbaijan to northern Cyprus.
All other necessary measures will be taken.
I believe that a delegation of Azerbaijani business executives needs
to visit northern Cyprus soon. We deeply regret that the referendum
held in Cyprus failed to justify our hopes. However, nobody will
allow our Turkish brothers in Cyprus to continue living such a life
because of that. Therefore, the isolation of Turkish Cypriots must end.