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AHMET DAVUTOGLU: WE CONSIDER THE OCCUPIED AZERBAIJANI LANDS OUR LANDS AND WILL CONTINUE OUR STRUGGLE TO RELEASE THEM
APA
Oct 22 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku - APA, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu gave interview
to APA and some other Azerbaijani news agencies.
-Can Turkey-Armenia border be reopened unless Nagorno Karabakh problem
is solved?
-Our President, Prime Minister and I being Foreign Minister, have
several times expressed our position on this issue. I said in
the parliament yesterday that Azerbaijan's territorial integrity
is as important for us as Turkey's territorial integrity and is a
strategic priority for us. Nothing is more important than Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity, welfare, stability and Turkey-Azerbaijan
friendship. As this is the fundamental principle of our foreign
policy your question has also been replied. One should ask - Does
the status-quo favor Azerbaijan, Turkey or Armenia? For 17 years
Azerbaijan's territories - our territories, as we consider it so,
- are under occupation. Turkey has always made efforts to end this
occupation. Previous ministers, governments supported Azerbaijan
after the country gained its independence. It will always be
so. Nothing can change the reality that Turkey is always with
Azerbaijan. But we should think over changing the status-quo. We
should find ways to end peacefully the occupation lasting for 17
years. We said to the entire world the day when the protocols were
signed, earlier and later: Turkey-Armenia normalization may improve
only of there is large-scale normalization in the region. It means
that Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict should also be solved. How can it
be solved? Of course, by ending the occupation. This is such an open
position that no one in Azerbaijan should doubt it. We consider the
occupied Azerbaijani lands our lands and will continue our struggle
to release them. We think that these protocols will give an impetus
to this process. Dynamism has been observed in this direction in the
past five months. A delegation went to Lachin to carry out technical
analysis. This is connected with Turkey's Caucasus policy. We touch on
Karabakh problem at every meeting, every international event that we
attend. I discussed Karabakh conflict with Hillary Clinton in Zurich
when the protocols were signed. The representative of our ministry Unal
Cevikoz is attending the meeting of the Minsk Group in Vienna. Even
if Azerbaijan does not put Karabakh problem for discussion, Turkey
will do it everywhere. This is one of our national problems. We do
not discriminate between Azerbaijani and Turkish lands, Azerbaijani
and Turkish flags.
-How was your meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister?
-It was like the meeting of two brothers. President Abdullah Gul and
I were in Nakhchivan a week before the protocols were signed in Zurich.
We met with President Aliyev and Elmar Mammadyarov there. There could
be little discords between two brothers, but we had open and sincere
talks like brothers. The foreign ministers of Turkey and Azerbaijan
never sit at the table of negotiations as different parts, they take
one side having same look at the processes. We never see Azerbaijan as
a different part in the bilateral meetings. When I took this office,
I sent written instructions to our diplomatic missions all over the
world - more than 120 embassies and 180 consulates. I instructed
our diplomats to see the Azerbaijani people in the countries where
they are working as the Turkish citizen, to show same attitude to
the Azerbaijani citizens in the Turkish embassies and consulates
with the Turkish citizens, to solve their problems. If you wish,
I can send this written instruction to the Azerbaijani media too.
- Did you mention tensions around the flags?
- Yes, we did. We have to solve the misunderstandings friendly as
brothers. The Turkish and Azerbaijani flags are same for us. We also
have a law on the national flag, but Azerbaijani flag is exception. We
don't consider the Azerbaijani flag as a flag of foreign country. My
townsman became martyr here. Today 72 million Turkish citizens are
ready to die for Azerbaijan. You should know that.
Regarding the Bursa events, you know that, press shows only problematic
moments of the developments. On that day, thousands of Azerbaijani
flags were hanged on the houses, shops and streets. I also was
at the stadium. There were more than 50 Azerbaijani flags in the
different places of the stadium, even in front of honorable stands
where the presidents watched the match. But FIFA decision on the day
of match. We didn't demand it. Even certain numbers of Azerbaijani
flags were allowed at the stadium. But there were some tapes, which
concern me too. I can not be tolerant to disrespect to the Azerbaijani
flag. I also concern about that the Azerbaijani flag was thrown to the
dust-bin. We give instruction to investigate that incident. There were
no dust-bins in Turkey with WC initials. Unknown wrote it on the box
and took its picture. It is provocation. The results of investigation
also proved that.
Public officers also could take unaware wrong action among the crowd.
We are investigating those incidents too. Bursa Governor made statement
on this issue. I brought the results of these investigations to
President Aliyev. There was a provocation in Bursa aiming to create
discords between us and Azerbaijani brothers.
There are hundreds of streets in Turkey named after Heydar Aliyev and
Azerbaijan. There are tens of busts of Heydar Aliyev, whom we see as
our leader. Azerbaijani flag is waving in the places where the busts
were erected. It will wave forever. I told Elmar Bey that we want
Azerbaijan, friendly country to us, not to see Turkish flag as a flag
of foreign country. Martyrdoms are holy places for us. When you look at
the names engraved in Martyrdom in Baku you see sons of Anatolia who
became martyrs here, while Anatolia was under the occupation in that
time. But our soldiers didn't make difference between Azerbaijan and
Anatolia and came here to defend Azerbaijan. Those are not ours, but
martyrs of Azerbaijani people. Our Azeri brothers should understand
that. The flag and Martyrs Mosque were entrusted to Azerbaijan and
the problems there are not ours, but your problems. If it was ours,
the soldiers died in Sakarya or Eskishehir. The Azerbaijani flag will
wave in turkey forever because it is our flag.
We will punish those who showed disrespect to Azerbaijani flag.
APA
Oct 22 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku - APA, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu gave interview
to APA and some other Azerbaijani news agencies.
-Can Turkey-Armenia border be reopened unless Nagorno Karabakh problem
is solved?
-Our President, Prime Minister and I being Foreign Minister, have
several times expressed our position on this issue. I said in
the parliament yesterday that Azerbaijan's territorial integrity
is as important for us as Turkey's territorial integrity and is a
strategic priority for us. Nothing is more important than Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity, welfare, stability and Turkey-Azerbaijan
friendship. As this is the fundamental principle of our foreign
policy your question has also been replied. One should ask - Does
the status-quo favor Azerbaijan, Turkey or Armenia? For 17 years
Azerbaijan's territories - our territories, as we consider it so,
- are under occupation. Turkey has always made efforts to end this
occupation. Previous ministers, governments supported Azerbaijan
after the country gained its independence. It will always be
so. Nothing can change the reality that Turkey is always with
Azerbaijan. But we should think over changing the status-quo. We
should find ways to end peacefully the occupation lasting for 17
years. We said to the entire world the day when the protocols were
signed, earlier and later: Turkey-Armenia normalization may improve
only of there is large-scale normalization in the region. It means
that Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict should also be solved. How can it
be solved? Of course, by ending the occupation. This is such an open
position that no one in Azerbaijan should doubt it. We consider the
occupied Azerbaijani lands our lands and will continue our struggle
to release them. We think that these protocols will give an impetus
to this process. Dynamism has been observed in this direction in the
past five months. A delegation went to Lachin to carry out technical
analysis. This is connected with Turkey's Caucasus policy. We touch on
Karabakh problem at every meeting, every international event that we
attend. I discussed Karabakh conflict with Hillary Clinton in Zurich
when the protocols were signed. The representative of our ministry Unal
Cevikoz is attending the meeting of the Minsk Group in Vienna. Even
if Azerbaijan does not put Karabakh problem for discussion, Turkey
will do it everywhere. This is one of our national problems. We do
not discriminate between Azerbaijani and Turkish lands, Azerbaijani
and Turkish flags.
-How was your meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister?
-It was like the meeting of two brothers. President Abdullah Gul and
I were in Nakhchivan a week before the protocols were signed in Zurich.
We met with President Aliyev and Elmar Mammadyarov there. There could
be little discords between two brothers, but we had open and sincere
talks like brothers. The foreign ministers of Turkey and Azerbaijan
never sit at the table of negotiations as different parts, they take
one side having same look at the processes. We never see Azerbaijan as
a different part in the bilateral meetings. When I took this office,
I sent written instructions to our diplomatic missions all over the
world - more than 120 embassies and 180 consulates. I instructed
our diplomats to see the Azerbaijani people in the countries where
they are working as the Turkish citizen, to show same attitude to
the Azerbaijani citizens in the Turkish embassies and consulates
with the Turkish citizens, to solve their problems. If you wish,
I can send this written instruction to the Azerbaijani media too.
- Did you mention tensions around the flags?
- Yes, we did. We have to solve the misunderstandings friendly as
brothers. The Turkish and Azerbaijani flags are same for us. We also
have a law on the national flag, but Azerbaijani flag is exception. We
don't consider the Azerbaijani flag as a flag of foreign country. My
townsman became martyr here. Today 72 million Turkish citizens are
ready to die for Azerbaijan. You should know that.
Regarding the Bursa events, you know that, press shows only problematic
moments of the developments. On that day, thousands of Azerbaijani
flags were hanged on the houses, shops and streets. I also was
at the stadium. There were more than 50 Azerbaijani flags in the
different places of the stadium, even in front of honorable stands
where the presidents watched the match. But FIFA decision on the day
of match. We didn't demand it. Even certain numbers of Azerbaijani
flags were allowed at the stadium. But there were some tapes, which
concern me too. I can not be tolerant to disrespect to the Azerbaijani
flag. I also concern about that the Azerbaijani flag was thrown to the
dust-bin. We give instruction to investigate that incident. There were
no dust-bins in Turkey with WC initials. Unknown wrote it on the box
and took its picture. It is provocation. The results of investigation
also proved that.
Public officers also could take unaware wrong action among the crowd.
We are investigating those incidents too. Bursa Governor made statement
on this issue. I brought the results of these investigations to
President Aliyev. There was a provocation in Bursa aiming to create
discords between us and Azerbaijani brothers.
There are hundreds of streets in Turkey named after Heydar Aliyev and
Azerbaijan. There are tens of busts of Heydar Aliyev, whom we see as
our leader. Azerbaijani flag is waving in the places where the busts
were erected. It will wave forever. I told Elmar Bey that we want
Azerbaijan, friendly country to us, not to see Turkish flag as a flag
of foreign country. Martyrdoms are holy places for us. When you look at
the names engraved in Martyrdom in Baku you see sons of Anatolia who
became martyrs here, while Anatolia was under the occupation in that
time. But our soldiers didn't make difference between Azerbaijan and
Anatolia and came here to defend Azerbaijan. Those are not ours, but
martyrs of Azerbaijani people. Our Azeri brothers should understand
that. The flag and Martyrs Mosque were entrusted to Azerbaijan and
the problems there are not ours, but your problems. If it was ours,
the soldiers died in Sakarya or Eskishehir. The Azerbaijani flag will
wave in turkey forever because it is our flag.
We will punish those who showed disrespect to Azerbaijani flag.