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Baku doubts Paris' role
Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 10 2012
Turkey
Azerbaijan considers ending France's position in the Minsk Group,
charged with the task of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,
saying that Paris' neutrality is in question, Ambassador to Turkey
tells Hurriyet Daily News
Baku is mulling whether to move to end France's role in the Minsk
Group, which is tasked with solving the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute,
on the grounds that it has lost its impartiality following legal
moves in favor of its strong Armenian diaspora.
"The Minsk Group has 15 members and Turkey is part of it, too.
[France's position as the body's co-chairman] could be brought to the
agenda of the group either by Turkey or by Azerbaijan," Azerbaijani
Ambassador to Turkey Faik Bagirov told the Hurriyet Daily News in an
interview Feb. 8. The Minsk Group was formed by the Organization of
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 1992 with the task of
resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Alongside France, Russia and the United States are co-chairs of the
group, which has been mediating for the last two decades without any
solid success. France's recent attempt to punish denials of the 1915
incidents as genocide caused a reaction both in Ankara and Baku and
has brought its role as a mediator into question.
"The Minsk Group was formed March 24, 1992; thus we are commemorating
its 20th year. A meeting could be held on this occasion in which
France's role would be discussed as well. It's no doubt that France's
neutrality is already a matter of question," Bagirov said, but added
that there was no clear procedure on how to expel a co-chairing
country.
Minsk Group under scrutiny
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said France would no longer
play a constructive role in the South Caucasus since it had already
shown itself to be pro-Armenian.
"Of course, 20 years is a very long time. The group whose task was
to find a solution to this problem failed to do so. In the meantime,
some acts taken by France only helped Armenia to distance itself
from the main principles of international law and to ease its hands
in negotiations," the ambassador said.
Bagirov said Azerbaijan was also closely following France's legislative
process with particular attention to the Constitutional Council, which
will decide whether or not the "genocide" denial bill is admissible.
"From the very beginning, we have said this attempt was in violation
of democratic principles and freedom of expression," Bagirov said,
expressing his disappointment over media claims that Baku did not
exert enough efforts to stop the legislation in France.
"I want to underline this fact: No country in the world other than
Azerbaijan supported Turkey in this process. Not a single country of
the Islamic Conference Organization [lent it support]. It was only
Azerbaijan which gave this support because our ties are based on
brotherhood and friendship," he said.
For Bagirov, those who planted the idea of a lack of Azerbaijani
support among the Turkish public were members of "some hostile circles
who tried to sow discord between Turks and Azeris." "Their purpose is
to damage Turkish-Azeri friendship. The media should be very careful
in regards to internal and external attempts to this end," he said.
Turkey-Armenia reconciliation
One of the fault lines between Turkey and Azerbaijan was observed
during the unfinished reconciliation process between Ankara and
Yerevan in 2009. Though the two countries signed two protocols to
normalize ties and open their sealed border, Turkey refused to ratify
the agreements due to strong Azerbaijani reaction.
"Consider if these protocols had been approved," he said, noting that
they would have only served to support "an occupying state." "The
Turkish Republic openly understood this."
End of visas this year
Touching on an end to visa requirements between Ankara and Baku,
Bagirov said the process could be completed by the end of the year
after Azerbaijan harmonizes its relevant laws. The issue will be raised
during a high-level strategic council meeting that is expected to be
held in the coming months.
Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 10 2012
Turkey
Azerbaijan considers ending France's position in the Minsk Group,
charged with the task of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,
saying that Paris' neutrality is in question, Ambassador to Turkey
tells Hurriyet Daily News
Baku is mulling whether to move to end France's role in the Minsk
Group, which is tasked with solving the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute,
on the grounds that it has lost its impartiality following legal
moves in favor of its strong Armenian diaspora.
"The Minsk Group has 15 members and Turkey is part of it, too.
[France's position as the body's co-chairman] could be brought to the
agenda of the group either by Turkey or by Azerbaijan," Azerbaijani
Ambassador to Turkey Faik Bagirov told the Hurriyet Daily News in an
interview Feb. 8. The Minsk Group was formed by the Organization of
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 1992 with the task of
resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Alongside France, Russia and the United States are co-chairs of the
group, which has been mediating for the last two decades without any
solid success. France's recent attempt to punish denials of the 1915
incidents as genocide caused a reaction both in Ankara and Baku and
has brought its role as a mediator into question.
"The Minsk Group was formed March 24, 1992; thus we are commemorating
its 20th year. A meeting could be held on this occasion in which
France's role would be discussed as well. It's no doubt that France's
neutrality is already a matter of question," Bagirov said, but added
that there was no clear procedure on how to expel a co-chairing
country.
Minsk Group under scrutiny
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said France would no longer
play a constructive role in the South Caucasus since it had already
shown itself to be pro-Armenian.
"Of course, 20 years is a very long time. The group whose task was
to find a solution to this problem failed to do so. In the meantime,
some acts taken by France only helped Armenia to distance itself
from the main principles of international law and to ease its hands
in negotiations," the ambassador said.
Bagirov said Azerbaijan was also closely following France's legislative
process with particular attention to the Constitutional Council, which
will decide whether or not the "genocide" denial bill is admissible.
"From the very beginning, we have said this attempt was in violation
of democratic principles and freedom of expression," Bagirov said,
expressing his disappointment over media claims that Baku did not
exert enough efforts to stop the legislation in France.
"I want to underline this fact: No country in the world other than
Azerbaijan supported Turkey in this process. Not a single country of
the Islamic Conference Organization [lent it support]. It was only
Azerbaijan which gave this support because our ties are based on
brotherhood and friendship," he said.
For Bagirov, those who planted the idea of a lack of Azerbaijani
support among the Turkish public were members of "some hostile circles
who tried to sow discord between Turks and Azeris." "Their purpose is
to damage Turkish-Azeri friendship. The media should be very careful
in regards to internal and external attempts to this end," he said.
Turkey-Armenia reconciliation
One of the fault lines between Turkey and Azerbaijan was observed
during the unfinished reconciliation process between Ankara and
Yerevan in 2009. Though the two countries signed two protocols to
normalize ties and open their sealed border, Turkey refused to ratify
the agreements due to strong Azerbaijani reaction.
"Consider if these protocols had been approved," he said, noting that
they would have only served to support "an occupying state." "The
Turkish Republic openly understood this."
End of visas this year
Touching on an end to visa requirements between Ankara and Baku,
Bagirov said the process could be completed by the end of the year
after Azerbaijan harmonizes its relevant laws. The issue will be raised
during a high-level strategic council meeting that is expected to be
held in the coming months.