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BAKU: Azerbaijani President's Cyprus remarks success of diplomacy

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  • BAKU: Azerbaijani President's Cyprus remarks success of diplomacy

    Azeri daily says president's Cyprus remarks success of diplomacy

    Zerkalo, Baku
    17 Apr 04


    The sensational statement of President Ilham Aliyev, who said that if
    the Greek Cypriot side votes against the unification of the island in
    the forthcoming referendum, Azerbaijan will be one of the first
    countries to recognize the independence of the Turkish Republic of
    Northern Cyprus, has caused a mixed reaction precisely in our country,
    as was expected.

    [Passage omitted: Minor details]

    It cannot be ruled out that the statement of the Azerbaijani president
    was a logical continuation of the involvement of the Turkish public in
    a campaign against the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. The
    campaign was launched by [the Azerbaijani TV company] ANS with the
    approval of our authorities at the highest level. Since this statement
    of Aliyev demonstrated his firm position to almost the whole of the
    Western world, it will be difficult for the [Turkish Prime Minister
    Recep Tayyip] Erdogan government to explain to the Turkish public,
    which has strong nationalistic moods in a good sense, the necessity of
    opening the border with Armenia for the sake of Turkey's membership of
    the EU.

    We believe that after this statement by Aliyev, Erdogan practically
    cannot make further concessions on the Cyprus issue for the sake of
    Turkey's membership of the EU. The opposition is waiting for such a
    mistake by Erdogan. The army, which is gradually losing its political
    influence due to the reforms carried out at the request of the
    European Union, will not remain indifferent. Erdogan can be simply
    accused of betraying national interests, as was the case with [former
    Prime Minister Necmettin] Erbakan who was accused of an attempt to
    abolish secularism in Turkey. In a word, it cannot be ruled out that
    the statement was an attempt to force the Erdogan government to show
    more respect.

    The aforesaid gives analysts grounds to believe that the Azerbaijani
    president's statement meets the country's interests and shows that
    Baku can take effective steps on the diplomatic front.
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