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Lider TV, Azerbaijan
March 15 2013
Azerbaijan voices concern over planned Turkey-Armenia flights
A senior Azerbaijani official has said that the country is concerned
about the launch of direct flights between the Turkish city of Van and
the Armenian capital of Yerevan planned for early April.
"Both the Azerbaijani public and the government have negative attitude
towards having any economic ties with Armenia, including the opening
of the borders [with Armenia], intensification of visits to Armenia
and establishment of any ties with Armenia's political and economic
agencies. And it causes our greater concern when such things are
implemented by friendly counties, by countries whose strategic
interests coincide with those of Azerbaijan. The Turkish public shares
this attitude of ours," Ali Hasanov, the head of the public-political
department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, said in
remarks aired on Azerbaijani Lider TV on 16 March.
The TV quoted Hasanov as saying that Baku regards such contacts with
Armenia as support for the latter's policy regarding Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, Turkey's ambassador to Azerbaijan Alper Coskun has said
that the commencement of direct flights between Van and Yerevan are
not indicative of any change in Turkey's policy on Armenia or the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"The Turkish president, parliamentary speaker and several other state
officials have always made their attitudes to Turkey's ties with
Armenia clearly. The flight from Yerevan to Turkey has to do with
trade between private companies on both sides and, as such, the issue
should be interpreted in this light," Coskun was quoted as saying by
Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman website.
Armenia and Turkey have had no diplomatic ties, and Turkey closed its
border with Armenia in 1993 during the hostilities in Azerbaijan's
breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh in an act of solidarity with
Azerbaijan. Despite reconciliation efforts, Ankara and Yerevan have
failed to reach a compromise and the border remains closed.
[Translated from Azeri]
From: A. Papazian
March 15 2013
Azerbaijan voices concern over planned Turkey-Armenia flights
A senior Azerbaijani official has said that the country is concerned
about the launch of direct flights between the Turkish city of Van and
the Armenian capital of Yerevan planned for early April.
"Both the Azerbaijani public and the government have negative attitude
towards having any economic ties with Armenia, including the opening
of the borders [with Armenia], intensification of visits to Armenia
and establishment of any ties with Armenia's political and economic
agencies. And it causes our greater concern when such things are
implemented by friendly counties, by countries whose strategic
interests coincide with those of Azerbaijan. The Turkish public shares
this attitude of ours," Ali Hasanov, the head of the public-political
department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, said in
remarks aired on Azerbaijani Lider TV on 16 March.
The TV quoted Hasanov as saying that Baku regards such contacts with
Armenia as support for the latter's policy regarding Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, Turkey's ambassador to Azerbaijan Alper Coskun has said
that the commencement of direct flights between Van and Yerevan are
not indicative of any change in Turkey's policy on Armenia or the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"The Turkish president, parliamentary speaker and several other state
officials have always made their attitudes to Turkey's ties with
Armenia clearly. The flight from Yerevan to Turkey has to do with
trade between private companies on both sides and, as such, the issue
should be interpreted in this light," Coskun was quoted as saying by
Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman website.
Armenia and Turkey have had no diplomatic ties, and Turkey closed its
border with Armenia in 1993 during the hostilities in Azerbaijan's
breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh in an act of solidarity with
Azerbaijan. Despite reconciliation efforts, Ankara and Yerevan have
failed to reach a compromise and the border remains closed.
[Translated from Azeri]
From: A. Papazian