Monday 7 September 2009

Armenia:Turkey Protocols - from the Azeri Press‏


Yeni Azarbaycan, Azerbaijan

Sept 4 2009
Azeri politicians rap Turkish-Armenian rapprochement ahead of Karabakh
solution


Azerbaijani politicians believe that the protocols signed recently on
establishing Turkish-Armenian ties and opening the border between the
two countries will harm Azerbaijan's interests and ties with Turkey.

In an interview with the ruling New Azerbaijan Party's (NAP) Yeni
Azarbaycan newspaper, NAP deputy executive secretary and MP Mubariz
Qurbanli said: "Azerbaijan does not regard acceptable the
establishment of ties between Turkey and Armenia until the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem is resolved".

Qurbanli said that rapprochement with Armenia before the settlement of
the problem was against Turkey's and Azerbaijan's interests. He said
that Turkey wanted to achieve peace and stability in the region by
taking that step. "However, history shows that one should not trust
the Armenians," he added.

In an interview with the Azadliq newspaper, the leader of the
opposition Liberal Party of Azerbaijan, Lala Sovkat Haciyeva, urged
President Ilham Aliyev to express his position on the ongoing
developments.

"It is very likely there have been some consultations [with the
Azerbaijani president] on this issue. However, the head of Azerbaijan
should express his opinion on the developments," Haciyeva said.

The politician noted that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said in the Azerbaijani parliament in May 2009 that the borders would
open after the Karabakh settlement.

"In any case, I want to believe that Erdogan will be loyal to his
word. Otherwise, this will be a great blow to Azerbaijan's national
interests and will seriously harm ties between the two fraternal
countries," Haciyeva said.

In a comment on the developments, the opposition Yeni Musavat
newspaper quoted unnamed observers as saying that Baku's reaction was
rather soft now unlike its reaction to the agreement on a road map
signed between Turkey and Armenia this April.

"This gives rise to the opinion that Baku has blessed the
Armenian-Turkish agreement... Although the agreement was made public
later, Turkey informed Baku about it last week. It seems that the
Turkish authorities convinced Baku this time as well that the opening
of the border with Armenia will depend on the Karabakh issue," Yeni
Musavat said.

The paper added that although the protocols to be signed with Armenia
did not contain any preconditions on Karabakh, Turkey hinted that by
delaying the ratification of those documents in parliament, it had a
chance to make their implementation dependent on the resolution of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

Speaking about the impact of the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement on
major economic projects in an interview to the independent Ekspress
newspaper, economic expert Sabit Bagirov said that if the protocols
envisaging the resumption of Turkish-Armenian ties were ratified at
the level of parliaments, the EU might demand that technical changes
be made to the Nabucco gas pipeline and that it pass not via Georgia,
but Armenia. He said that this was a political issue.

"First, I do not believe that the Turkish parliament will take such a
decision. Second, this is an unrealistic idea and I do not believe
that it will materialize, because the Azerbaijani authorities have
repeatedly stated that Azerbaijan will not transport its hydrocarbons
via Armenia until the occupied territories are liberated and the
Karabakh problem is resolved," Bagirov said.

Ekspress said that the Nabucco pipeline company, which will construct
the pipeline, also did not rule out Armenia's participation in the
project.

"We have stated repeatedly that this project is open to any state
wishing to join it. If this is the case, then Armenia or another
country which might be considered as an effective option to increase
the pipeline's profitability can join the project," Ekspress quoted an
unnamed source at the company as saying.

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT TURKEY KEEPS ITS PROMISE: 
AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL


Today.Az
Sept 3 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan hopes that in talks with Armenia Turkey will not take
steps contradicting Azerbaijan's national interests, Azerbaijani
Presidential Administration International Relations Department Chief
Novruz Mammadov said.

He said it is possible to achieve progress in resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict before the Turkey-Armenia border is reopened.

"Baku keeps close eye on ongoing processes between Turkey and Armenia
and hopes that Ankara would not take steps contrary to national
interests of Azerbaijan."

Mammadov recalling the statement Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan made
during his visit to Baku in May noted that Ankara has expressed its
position clearly: borders with Armenia will not reopen without a
progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"In the ongoing negotiations the Turkish side has shown strong,
specific and harsh stance. The documents were signed because Armenia
armed forces have occupied Azerbaijani lands. Borders will reopen
only after the conflict is resolved. Whatever statements Armenian
leadership makes, the whole world knows that the borders are closed
because of the Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani lands."

Novruzov said Baku was aware of beginning of discussion between Turkey
and Armenia. "This issue was discussed last week during a telephone
conversation between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President
Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijan has once again stated its position."

"We state only that reopening of the Armenia-Turkey border is contrary
to Azerbaijan's interests. Turkey's interests are close to the national
interests of Azerbaijan," he said.

Mammadov also expressed his attitude to statements that beginning
of negotiations between Turkey and Armenia and the resolution of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict are parallel processes.

"It depends on the negotiation and on conditions made in the
negotiations. I believe before the reopening of borders progress and
a certain agreement can be achieved a in conflict resolution. The
bottom line is that opening of borders does not contradict interests
of Azerbaijan and that progress will be reached in resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is essential that the Turkish side
keeps its promise," Mammadov added.

ESTABLISHING TURKEY-ARMENIA TIES UNACCEPTABLE UNTIL 
NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS RESOLVED: AZERBAIJANI 
GOVERNING PARTY

Today.Az
Sept 3 2009
Azerbaijan


The governing New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) says establishing
Turkey-Armenian relations is unacceptable until the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is resolved.

"Azerbaijan and Turkey are strategic allies and our relations
rely on the principle of "one nation - two states". There are many
ties connecting our countries. Therefore, the talks held to reopen
Turkey-Armenia borders and to resume diplomatic ties stirs up anxiety
in the Azerbaijani public", the NAP senior official Mubariz Gurbanli
said in an interview with party's official Web site.

On Aug. 31, Turkey and Armenia in the talks mediated by Switzerland
reached an agreement to launch "internal political consultations"
to sign the Protocol on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and
Protocol on Development of Bilateral Relations.

Political consultations will be completed within six weeks, and
following that two protocols will be signed and submitted to the two
countries' parliaments for approval.

Currently, Turkey does not plan to open borders with neighboring
Armenia, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davudoglu said.

Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993.
 
Interfax, Russia

Sept 4 2009
Azerbaijan Army ready to free occupied land - Defense Ministry
BAKU Sept 4


The Azerbaijani Army is ready to free the occupied territories if the
negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict fail,
said Azeri Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu.

"We are hoping for results while the political negotiations
continue. Otherwise our army will fulfill its function [to free the
land] at a moment when our state founds it necessary," Sabiroglu told
a press conference in Baku on Friday.

"No one should doubt that," he said, adding that he is not saying
these words for the sake of propaganda. "I am saying this taking into
account the equipment of our military units with modern types of
weapons and the high level of our troops' combat preparedness," he
said.

The Defense Ministry official reiterated that the Azerbaijani Army
will continue to be strengthened.
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