Extending the hand of friendship Turkish-style
news.az, Azerbaijan
May 15 2010
We have always extended hand of friendship to Armenians-consul
Sat 15 May 2010 | 08:39 GMT Text size:
The newly appointed Consul General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul spoke of
the conditions under which Turkey will open borders with Armenia.
"Azerbaijan supports peaceful solution to the Karabakh problem, but
this does not mean that we will reconcile with the occupation of our
lands. We must not forget Karabakh, we must get it back ", said
Azerbaijani consul general in Istanbul Hasan Zeynalov.
According to Turkishny, he made the statement at a press conference in
Igdir.
According to him, Azerbaijan will be able to achieve this goal only
with Turkey.
"We have always extended a hand of friendship to Armenians, but in
response to our kind steps they committed the Khojaly genocide. We
must inform the world of the truth about the Khojaly genocide. We,
Turks, have been always good to all nations, it comes from our
humanity, but our evil-wishers have always abused our kindness', he
said.
"At the moment Turkey accounts for 100,000 Armenian citizens residing
there illegally, they in turn support another 500,000 of their
impoverished countrymen in Armenia with their earnings," he said.
According to him, b y insisting on opening the borders with Turkey,
the Armenians put the purpose to cast shadow on the fraternal
relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.
"Of course, in the future I do not rule the opening of tje
Armenian-Turkish and the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. But this will
happen only when Armenia ceases to make territorial claims to Turkey
and withdraws from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. In the current
situation, the opening of borders does not meet the interests of
either Azerbaijan or Turkey. By insisting on opening the borders with
Turkey, Armenians aim to cast a shadow on the fraternal relations
between Azerbaijan and Turkey. But the Turkish leaders have repeatedly
stated that the borders will not open without the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict", said the Azerbaijani diplomat.
Hurriyet Daily News
The Protocols: Whose “wishful thinking”?
Sunday, May 16, 2010
C. CEM OĞUZ
The Western world, the U.S. in particular, has been keen to express
criticism of Turkey concerning the current deadlock in the normalization
of relations between Ankara and Yerevan. Last Monday, for instance,
American expert David Phillips was reported to have admonished Turkey,
saying the country should not have signed the protocols based on “wishful
thinking.” Supposedly, “there was no linkage between the protocols and
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.”
Obviously, this line of thinking is particularly prevalent among members
of the U.S. administration. American authorities, as a very close aide to
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told me, on nearly every
occasion raise what they describe as the “disappointment” felt by
President Barrack Obama regarding the current state of affairs on the
normalization talks. Given that U.S. promises made prior to the protocols
on the resolution of the Karabakh problem have not been held either, it
is surprising that these figures have failed to understand that Erdoğan
is equally disappointed. This raises the question of whose “wishful
thinking” is responsible for the current deadlock.
The reasons that Turkey cannot ratify the protocols without a solution to
the Karabakh problem being found are very simple: First, for the sake
of regional stability, the Karabakh issue should, without hesitation be
bound to the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara.
If Turkey were to open its border with Armenia unilaterally the Azeri
authorities, as they keep reminding their Turkish counterparts, would
have no option left other than resorting to force. Secondly, the protocols,
under current circumstances, cannot pass ratification in the Turkish
Parliament. This is a bitter reality which has been underlined by
Erdoğan on a couple occasions in the recent past as well.
Since the Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision of last January,
voices expressing skepticism among members of the Turkish
Parliament have grown louder than ever. Everyone questions whether
the Armenian side is indeed sincere in keeping its obligations with
regard to the commission of historians envisaged in the protocols.
Last, but not least, those who criticize Turkey’s “love affair” with
Azerbaijan seem to have underestimated key factors in the
relationship between these two countries. An enlightening comparison
can be made between Turkish ties with Azerbaijan and those of the
U.S. and Israel. I have encountered many U.S. authorities who
lamented their country’s unquestioned attachment to Israel which
sometimes, in their words, acquires an “irrational or self-detrimental”
character. Given the complex nature of their relations with Israel
(and also the Jewish people), I wonder if they might envisage it being
easy to change this state of affairs. Thus, they must understand that
the same is valid for Turks as far as Azerbaijan is concerned.
Despite this, however, Ankara is still determined to keep on track.
What Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has suggested in
referring to the conduct of a “parallel diplomacy” in the following
days is an unambiguous sign of Turkey’s goodwill and sincerity in
that regard. More importantly, Ankara has exercised great effort to
persuade Baku to accept a step-by-step solution, which first and
foremost requires Armenian forces’ immediate withdrawal from
five of seven Azerbaijani rayons still under occupation. What Ankara
in turn expects from the Minsk Group, its co-chair the U.S. in particular,
is to exercise a similar effort to persuade Yerevan and the diaspora
to seek a compromise, which would be beneficial for all the parties
concerned.
It is in this milieu that Erdoğan goes to Baku. Particularly since
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Turkey last week,
there are things to share and new standpoints to be discussed
between the two allies. Energy issues will be another subject of the
meetings. But I must remind our Azeri friends that Erdoğan has a
serious expectation which he is rightly very keen to see realized:
the abolishment of the visa regime between the two countries.
At a time when great achievements have even been accomplished
between Turkey and Greece, arch adversaries of the recent past,
neither Erdoğan nor the average Turk on the street can understand
why a visa is needed to set foot on Azeri soil, a land for which they
have made so many sacrifices throughout history.
PM Erdoğan to tackle visas, price of gas and Nagorno-Karabakh
on visit to Baku
Zaman
May 15 2010
We have always extended hand of friendship to Armenians-consul
Sat 15 May 2010 | 08:39 GMT Text size:
The newly appointed Consul General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul spoke of
the conditions under which Turkey will open borders with Armenia.
"Azerbaijan supports peaceful solution to the Karabakh problem, but
this does not mean that we will reconcile with the occupation of our
lands. We must not forget Karabakh, we must get it back ", said
Azerbaijani consul general in Istanbul Hasan Zeynalov.
According to Turkishny, he made the statement at a press conference in
Igdir.
According to him, Azerbaijan will be able to achieve this goal only
with Turkey.
"We have always extended a hand of friendship to Armenians, but in
response to our kind steps they committed the Khojaly genocide. We
must inform the world of the truth about the Khojaly genocide. We,
Turks, have been always good to all nations, it comes from our
humanity, but our evil-wishers have always abused our kindness', he
said.
"At the moment Turkey accounts for 100,000 Armenian citizens residing
there illegally, they in turn support another 500,000 of their
impoverished countrymen in Armenia with their earnings," he said.
According to him, b y insisting on opening the borders with Turkey,
the Armenians put the purpose to cast shadow on the fraternal
relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.
"Of course, in the future I do not rule the opening of tje
Armenian-Turkish and the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. But this will
happen only when Armenia ceases to make territorial claims to Turkey
and withdraws from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. In the current
situation, the opening of borders does not meet the interests of
either Azerbaijan or Turkey. By insisting on opening the borders with
Turkey, Armenians aim to cast a shadow on the fraternal relations
between Azerbaijan and Turkey. But the Turkish leaders have repeatedly
stated that the borders will not open without the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict", said the Azerbaijani diplomat.
Hurriyet Daily News
The Protocols: Whose “wishful thinking”?
Sunday, May 16, 2010
C. CEM OĞUZ
The Western world, the U.S. in particular, has been keen to express
criticism of Turkey concerning the current deadlock in the normalization
of relations between Ankara and Yerevan. Last Monday, for instance,
American expert David Phillips was reported to have admonished Turkey,
saying the country should not have signed the protocols based on “wishful
thinking.” Supposedly, “there was no linkage between the protocols and
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.”
Obviously, this line of thinking is particularly prevalent among members
of the U.S. administration. American authorities, as a very close aide to
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told me, on nearly every
occasion raise what they describe as the “disappointment” felt by
President Barrack Obama regarding the current state of affairs on the
normalization talks. Given that U.S. promises made prior to the protocols
on the resolution of the Karabakh problem have not been held either, it
is surprising that these figures have failed to understand that Erdoğan
is equally disappointed. This raises the question of whose “wishful
thinking” is responsible for the current deadlock.
The reasons that Turkey cannot ratify the protocols without a solution to
the Karabakh problem being found are very simple: First, for the sake
of regional stability, the Karabakh issue should, without hesitation be
bound to the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara.
If Turkey were to open its border with Armenia unilaterally the Azeri
authorities, as they keep reminding their Turkish counterparts, would
have no option left other than resorting to force. Secondly, the protocols,
under current circumstances, cannot pass ratification in the Turkish
Parliament. This is a bitter reality which has been underlined by
Erdoğan on a couple occasions in the recent past as well.
Since the Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision of last January,
voices expressing skepticism among members of the Turkish
Parliament have grown louder than ever. Everyone questions whether
the Armenian side is indeed sincere in keeping its obligations with
regard to the commission of historians envisaged in the protocols.
Last, but not least, those who criticize Turkey’s “love affair” with
Azerbaijan seem to have underestimated key factors in the
relationship between these two countries. An enlightening comparison
can be made between Turkish ties with Azerbaijan and those of the
U.S. and Israel. I have encountered many U.S. authorities who
lamented their country’s unquestioned attachment to Israel which
sometimes, in their words, acquires an “irrational or self-detrimental”
character. Given the complex nature of their relations with Israel
(and also the Jewish people), I wonder if they might envisage it being
easy to change this state of affairs. Thus, they must understand that
the same is valid for Turks as far as Azerbaijan is concerned.
Despite this, however, Ankara is still determined to keep on track.
What Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has suggested in
referring to the conduct of a “parallel diplomacy” in the following
days is an unambiguous sign of Turkey’s goodwill and sincerity in
that regard. More importantly, Ankara has exercised great effort to
persuade Baku to accept a step-by-step solution, which first and
foremost requires Armenian forces’ immediate withdrawal from
five of seven Azerbaijani rayons still under occupation. What Ankara
in turn expects from the Minsk Group, its co-chair the U.S. in particular,
is to exercise a similar effort to persuade Yerevan and the diaspora
to seek a compromise, which would be beneficial for all the parties
concerned.
It is in this milieu that Erdoğan goes to Baku. Particularly since
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Turkey last week,
there are things to share and new standpoints to be discussed
between the two allies. Energy issues will be another subject of the
meetings. But I must remind our Azeri friends that Erdoğan has a
serious expectation which he is rightly very keen to see realized:
the abolishment of the visa regime between the two countries.
At a time when great achievements have even been accomplished
between Turkey and Greece, arch adversaries of the recent past,
neither Erdoğan nor the average Turk on the street can understand
why a visa is needed to set foot on Azeri soil, a land for which they
have made so many sacrifices throughout history.
PM Erdoğan to tackle visas, price of gas and Nagorno-Karabakh
on visit to Baku
Zaman
16 May 2010, Sunday
LAMIYA ADILGIZI BAKU
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Baku, scheduled for
today, could bring about positive results in several areas, including a
natural gas price agreement and a visa deal, but analysts believe no
developments will take place over the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
Although Erdoğan’s planned visit could spawn a new era in relations
between the two nations, no new developments or proposals on the
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute are expected to take place. Speaking in
an interview with Sunday’s Zaman, Elnur Soltanov, an expert from the
Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, said he believes Turkey will reiterate
its position on Nagorno-Karabakh and that Azerbaijani will likely
express its satisfaction.
LAMIYA ADILGIZI BAKU
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Baku, scheduled for
today, could bring about positive results in several areas, including a
natural gas price agreement and a visa deal, but analysts believe no
developments will take place over the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
Although Erdoğan’s planned visit could spawn a new era in relations
between the two nations, no new developments or proposals on the
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute are expected to take place. Speaking in
an interview with Sunday’s Zaman, Elnur Soltanov, an expert from the
Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, said he believes Turkey will reiterate
its position on Nagorno-Karabakh and that Azerbaijani will likely
express its satisfaction.
Erdoğan’s last visit took place almost exactly one year ago, on May
13, a time of growing anger both within the Azerbaijani government
and among the public over Turkey’s move to reconcile with Armenia,
a move that was also to include the possible opening of their border,
closed since 1993 in a sign of solidarity with Azerbaijan following
Armenia’s invasion and subsequent occupation of Azerbaijan’s
Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Opening the border is considered a
blow to Azerbaijani-led economic sanctions against Armenia over its
occupation of some 20 percent of its territory. Azerbaijan deliberately
seeks to orchestrate regional energy and cooperation projects in a
way that bypasses Armenia and thus deprives the small and poor
country economically. The policy has produced few results so far.
Azerbaijani-Turkish relations rest on the solid base of deep historical
Azerbaijani-Turkish relations rest on the solid base of deep historical
and cultural roots. Being strategic partners, Azerbaijan and Turkey
pursue their national interests without disregarding each other’s
problems.
Azerbaijan believes Turkey’s inclusion of finding a solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem as a catalyst in making progress on
the protocols is the most valuable step for Azerbaijan. This view was
absent when Turkey started the reconciliation process and became
more conspicuous after Azerbaijan expressed its disapproval.
Azerbaijanis regard the speech Erdoğan gave before Azerbaijan’s
parliament a year ago as a plainly worded agreement and an
unbreakable pledge to his “brethren” in the South Caucasus. He said
Turkey would never open its border with Armenia unless there were a
notable breakthrough in the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
Evaluating the prime minister’s visit to Baku as a symbolic victory over
Armenian efforts to proclaim April 24 a memorial day commemorating
Armenians killed during World War I, Soltanov says the heaviest
repercussions of this were avoided, ones which could have the potential
to worsen relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey. Because they were
avoided, a sense of optimism is generating new momentum in Turkey
and Azerbaijan to resolve some issues of mutual benefit prior to this
window of opportunity starting to gradually close as next the April 24
approaches, he says.
Recalling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Turkey and
negotiations over a gas deal, Soltanov said that because there is little
to talk about concerning the South Stream, which is seen as the main
alternative to Nabucco, Turkey and Azerbaijan have avoided facing an
additional hurdle in any possible gas deal between them. “There will
definitely be positive statements regarding Nabucco,” Soltanov said.
However, the analyst thinks this will have no benefit for the Nabucco
deal because the fate of the project is not determined by Azerbaijani
-Turkish cooperation alone.
Speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, Elman Nasirov, the deputy director of
the Center of Geostrategic Investigation within the Academy of Public
Administration under the Presidency of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
said Erdoğan’s visit to Baku will likely be remembered for the natural
gas deal and visa agreement between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The
expert said lifting visa requirements was delayed because of technical
problems on the Azerbaijani side and that it is very likely that these
problems will be solved during this visit.
Speaking about the visa imbroglio between Azerbaijan and Turkey,
Soltanov said if Azerbaijan and Turkey are “one nation in two states,”
then this brotherhood should not lag behind in terms of cooperation.
“One nation in two states may sound hollow in light of how Turks and
Russians, definitely two separate nations, seem to be in a much better
position both regarding mutual trust and concrete mutually beneficial
deals,” the expert noted. He expects Russian-Turkish deals to create
extra pressure on the part of Turkey and Azerbaijan to move forward
and to show that they are capable of doing at least as much regarding
cooperation. In other words, a visa deal between Azerbaijan and Turkey
is very likely to be struck.
Prime Minister Erdoğan and Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan had
a historic bilateral meeting in Washington on the sidelines of a nuclear
summit in April to seek ways to rescue the protocols. Azerbaijan was
not invited to the summit, which further deteriorated Azerbaijan’s
relations with the Obama administration. Erdoğan is also expected to
brief Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev about his meeting with Sarksyan.
Considering the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Nasirov said that it is obvious
the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute will take center stage at discussions to be
held during Erdoğan’s visit. Turkish-Russian multidimensional cooperation
will certainly generate interdependence between the two countries. “The
key to solving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is in the hands of Russia
and Turkey. Being part of this cooperation which protects the interests of
Azerbaijan on all platforms could make a solution to the dispute more likely,”
Nasirov said.
Turkey-Azerbaijan Military Cooperation Deepens to the Tune of
Turkey-Azerbaijan Military Cooperation Deepens to the Tune of
$200 Million
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
by Asbarez
AMMAN, Jordan (APA) - Turkish military assistance to Azerbaijan has
exceeded $200 million, said Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul
Wednesday. He added that Azerbaijan can take part in the lucrative
ATAK reconnaissance helicopter project.
`We have established cooperation [with Azerbaijan] in a number of
defense sector realms since Azerbaijan declared independence and this
process is continuing now,' said Gonul, who is attending the SOFEX
2010 Special Forces Operations Exhibition in Amman.
Gonul said that Azeri soldiers have been training in Turkish
facilities and military schools for years.
Military cooperation agreements have already been signed between the
two countries and efforts are moving forward legally, he continued.
`We are the sons of the same nation. We are ready to cooperate with
Azerbaijan in all spheres,' emphasized the Turkish defense chief.
Gonul said that Azerbaijan would be welcome to take part in the ATAK
helicopter project, which is a joint Turkey-Italy venture. The defense
chief added that the first phase of the project, which was the
production of the engines in the US, has been completed and the
project was on track.
Gonul was joined by his Azeri counterpart Yaver Jamalov is signing an
agreement for the joint production of nigh vision and thermal
observation devices. A second agreement envisions the joint production
of ammunition and other equipment.
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
by Asbarez
AMMAN, Jordan (APA) - Turkish military assistance to Azerbaijan has
exceeded $200 million, said Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul
Wednesday. He added that Azerbaijan can take part in the lucrative
ATAK reconnaissance helicopter project.
`We have established cooperation [with Azerbaijan] in a number of
defense sector realms since Azerbaijan declared independence and this
process is continuing now,' said Gonul, who is attending the SOFEX
2010 Special Forces Operations Exhibition in Amman.
Gonul said that Azeri soldiers have been training in Turkish
facilities and military schools for years.
Military cooperation agreements have already been signed between the
two countries and efforts are moving forward legally, he continued.
`We are the sons of the same nation. We are ready to cooperate with
Azerbaijan in all spheres,' emphasized the Turkish defense chief.
Gonul said that Azerbaijan would be welcome to take part in the ATAK
helicopter project, which is a joint Turkey-Italy venture. The defense
chief added that the first phase of the project, which was the
production of the engines in the US, has been completed and the
project was on track.
Gonul was joined by his Azeri counterpart Yaver Jamalov is signing an
agreement for the joint production of nigh vision and thermal
observation devices. A second agreement envisions the joint production
of ammunition and other equipment.
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