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BAKU: Turkish MP On Whether Turkey Will Open Border With Armenia For

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  • BAKU: Turkish MP On Whether Turkey Will Open Border With Armenia For

    TURKISH MP ON WHETHER TURKEY WILL OPEN BORDER WITH ARMENIA FOR NATO EXERCISES

    Today
    http://www.today.az/news/regions/72863.html
    Sept 1 2010
    Azerbaijan

    Interview with member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
    (Parliament), Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Foreign
    Relations and member of the ruling Justice and Development Party
    Murat Mercan.

    Lately, Azerbaijani and Turkish societies have been concerned over
    the possible opening of the Armenia-Turkey border due to the upcoming
    NATO exercises to take place in Armenia in September...

    Turkey's stance on opening of the Armenia-Turkey border voiced by
    the president, prime minister, speaker of the parliament and foreign
    minister remains unchanged. Our position is clear enough. Turkey is
    not going to consider border opening with Armenia until Karabakh
    conflict resolution sees progress and Azerbaijan's occupied lands
    are freed from occupation.

    Speculations on this subject appear in the Armenian press from time
    to time. Turkey has made no changes to this condition.

    What results can the upcoming September summit of Turkic countries
    in Istanbul have? Will the summit discuss resolution of the
    Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

    The summit's agenda is not known yet. In any case, such meetings will
    serve not only greater economic integration, but also consolidation
    of positions of the Turkic countries on political issues.

    Turkey took over chairmanship in the UN Security Council today. What
    steps Turkey plans to take as Security Council chair in terms of
    settlement of the Karabakh conflict?

    It requires peaceful intentions from Armenia to resolve the Karabakh
    conflict. This is the main condition for a settlement. Without this,
    all attempts by international organizations to achieve progress in
    resolving the Karabakh problem will be futile.

    Turkey suggested to conclude a security pact in the South Caucasus
    in 2008. Will it go ahead with this initiative?

    Turkey is interested in sustainable peace and confidence in the
    South Caucasus. The recent expansion of the Turkish-Russian relations
    creates a good platform to establish peace in the region. I am sure
    that Turkey will continue to pursue a policy in this direction.

    What events can we expect to occur in Azerbaijani-Turkish relations
    in the near future?

    I think it is time to implement the principle of "one nation - two
    states" in all aspects. This applies particularly to the economic
    and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

    Can we say that the process of restoring the Armenian-Turkish
    relations, known as "football diplomacy", finally stayed in the
    history?

    No. Everything depends on Armenia's implementation of conditions set
    by Turkey. If these conditions are fulfilled, Turkey will take up
    the issue of ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols once again.

    First and foremost, it concerns a condition of liberation of
    Azerbaijan's occupied territories.

    How do you see development of the existing strategic cooperation
    between Azerbaijan and Turkey in the military sphere?

    Strategic cooperation between our two countries is possible in any area
    or in any form. This comes from the general principle for all of us:
    "one nation - two states."




    From: A. Papazian
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