Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Dec 29 2004
Azerbaijan: ‘If Armenians not Withdraw, We will Try Other Ways’
The possibility of opening the Armenian border has become a big issue
in Azerbaijan in the wake of the European Union’s (EU) decision to
begin negotiations with Turkey on October 3, 2005.
Public opinion in Azerbaijan, where 20 percent of the country is
occupied by Armenians, is against Turkey giving any concessions on
the issue. A spokesman for the Azerbaijani Assembly Murtiz Alesgerov
said, “As long as Armenians do not withdraw from Azerbaijani
territories, the Turkey-Armenian borders should not be opened.” He
added that if international negotiations can’t resolve the issue of
Nagorno Karabagh, they were resolved to regain their territory
through military means.
A group of Turkish journalists went to Azerbaijan at the invitation
of Azerbaijani Deputy Melahat Hasanova. The Turkish journalists, who
met with President Murtiz Alesgerov, focused on developments
regarding the possibility of Turkey opening the Armenian border.
Mentioning that Armenians demanded Turkey to recognize the so-called
genocide and wanted territory, Alesgerov said: “Armenians are
Armenians and the enemy is the enemy; there can’t be anything else.”
The Assembly spokesman supported Turkey’s EU membership and
determined that Turkey’s position would open the door for
Azerbaijan’s accession to the EU. He also disclosed that their only
concerns abut the process was the opening of the Turkey-Armenia
border. Mentioning that Turkey had a policy about the occupied
territories, Alesgerov continued:
“If Armenians do not withdraw the occupied territories, Turkey will
not open the borders towards that country. This issue shapes Turkey’s
main policy. Turkey will be loyal to this issue.”
About 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territories are under the Armenian
occupation and the EU makes little pressure on Armenia to withdraw
the occupying forces while the Brussels try to force Turkey to open
its Armenia borders. There is a strong Armenian diaspora in the EU
states, and the local politicians do not want to lose the Armenian
votes in elections.