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TURKIC STATES' FMS MEET IN GABALA TO DISCUSS TIES
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Au 15 2013
15 August 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
Foreign ministers of the members of the Cooperation Council of Turkic
Speaking States (CCTS) met for talks on the sidelines of the third
summit of the Turkic Council in the Azerbaijani city of Gabala on
Thursday.
The CCTS, also known as the Turkic Council, is an international
organization including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey
founded with the signing of the Nakhchivan Agreement in 2009. Since
its establishment, the Turkic Council has taken concrete steps to
promote cooperation in the Turkic world. Hosted by a different member
state each year around various topics and themes, this year the summit
is being held from Aug. 15-16 and will focus on "transportation and
connectivity."
Strengthening cooperation between the Turkic countries in various
fields and planning further activities of the organization were
the principal topics of the foreign ministers' meeting, held on
the sidelines of the third summit of the Turkic Council in the
resort city of Gabala. A cooperation agreement was signed between
the foreign ministers at the end of the meeting. The decisions made
by the foreign ministers will be presented to the heads of states
during the Council of Heads of States, which will occur as part of
the third summit on Friday.
Addressing the meeting, Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Elmar
Mammadyarov, made a statement mentioning some hindrances to the
development of cooperation among the member states.
"While talking about regional cooperation we should not neglect the
factors restraining cooperation between states," Mammadyarov said,
adding, "Separatism, national and ethnic problems [in the region],
the territorial integrity of our state [Azerbaijan] and efforts made
to change the internationally determined borders should be recognized
as dangerous threats."
It is already more than two decades since Azerbaijan severed
diplomatic ties with neighboring Armenia after the latter occupied
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent territories, which are
internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
Mentioning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as one the main obstacles to
regional cooperation, Mammadyarov said, "Twenty percent of Azerbaijani
territories were occupied as a result of Armenia's aggressive policy
in the region, and every ninth citizen of Azerbaijan is living as a
refugee in their own country." Based on four resolutions of the UN
Security Council issued in the early '90s, Mammadyarov urged that
Armenian troops be withdrawn from the Azerbaijani territories and
expressed his gratitude to those countries that show solidarity with
Azerbaijan on this issue.
The Kyrgyz Presidential Press Office stated that Turkish President
Abdullah Gul, who is in Azerbaijan to attend the Turkic Council,
and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev met in Gabala to discuss
bilateral ties. The leaders' meeting was closed to the public.
Gul also had a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ä°lham Aliyev.
In the meeting, which lasted nearly 45 minutes, Gul was accompanied by
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım
and Turkey's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Alper CoÅ~_kun.
Gul is also expected to meet with Kazakh President Nursultan
Nazarbayev.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-323605-turkic-states-fms-meet-in-gabala-to-discuss-ties.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Au 15 2013
15 August 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
Foreign ministers of the members of the Cooperation Council of Turkic
Speaking States (CCTS) met for talks on the sidelines of the third
summit of the Turkic Council in the Azerbaijani city of Gabala on
Thursday.
The CCTS, also known as the Turkic Council, is an international
organization including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey
founded with the signing of the Nakhchivan Agreement in 2009. Since
its establishment, the Turkic Council has taken concrete steps to
promote cooperation in the Turkic world. Hosted by a different member
state each year around various topics and themes, this year the summit
is being held from Aug. 15-16 and will focus on "transportation and
connectivity."
Strengthening cooperation between the Turkic countries in various
fields and planning further activities of the organization were
the principal topics of the foreign ministers' meeting, held on
the sidelines of the third summit of the Turkic Council in the
resort city of Gabala. A cooperation agreement was signed between
the foreign ministers at the end of the meeting. The decisions made
by the foreign ministers will be presented to the heads of states
during the Council of Heads of States, which will occur as part of
the third summit on Friday.
Addressing the meeting, Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Elmar
Mammadyarov, made a statement mentioning some hindrances to the
development of cooperation among the member states.
"While talking about regional cooperation we should not neglect the
factors restraining cooperation between states," Mammadyarov said,
adding, "Separatism, national and ethnic problems [in the region],
the territorial integrity of our state [Azerbaijan] and efforts made
to change the internationally determined borders should be recognized
as dangerous threats."
It is already more than two decades since Azerbaijan severed
diplomatic ties with neighboring Armenia after the latter occupied
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent territories, which are
internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
Mentioning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as one the main obstacles to
regional cooperation, Mammadyarov said, "Twenty percent of Azerbaijani
territories were occupied as a result of Armenia's aggressive policy
in the region, and every ninth citizen of Azerbaijan is living as a
refugee in their own country." Based on four resolutions of the UN
Security Council issued in the early '90s, Mammadyarov urged that
Armenian troops be withdrawn from the Azerbaijani territories and
expressed his gratitude to those countries that show solidarity with
Azerbaijan on this issue.
The Kyrgyz Presidential Press Office stated that Turkish President
Abdullah Gul, who is in Azerbaijan to attend the Turkic Council,
and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev met in Gabala to discuss
bilateral ties. The leaders' meeting was closed to the public.
Gul also had a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ä°lham Aliyev.
In the meeting, which lasted nearly 45 minutes, Gul was accompanied by
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım
and Turkey's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Alper CoÅ~_kun.
Gul is also expected to meet with Kazakh President Nursultan
Nazarbayev.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-323605-turkic-states-fms-meet-in-gabala-to-discuss-ties.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress