`BAKU WILL GET ANGRY IF TURKEY OPENS BORDER’
Azg/arm
3 March 05
Turkish Hurriet newspaper informs on March 2 that the Engineering
University of Y?ld?z organized a workshop these days titled “Hopes for
Stability and Cooperation in the Caucasus”. Elkhan Mehdiyev, director
of the Center of Azerbaijan ‘s Peace and Conflict Resolution, reported
that Azeri-Turkish relations will spoil if Turkey opens its border
with Armenia giving way to pressures coming from the US and EU. Then
he continued: “In that case Armenians will not withdraw from
Azerbaijan’s territory. Russia keeps on arming Armenia meanwhile
Turkey does not support Azerbaijan. Azeri people’s trust towards
Turkey has considerably shrunk because of that”.
Mehdiyev, apparently, condemned US for its Nagorno Karabakh policy
telling that it pursues its own oil plans (in that case, we must note,
that Azerbaijan’s position is more favorable). Brenda Shaffer,
research director of the Caspian Studies Program at Harvard
University, responded: “The reason the US is interested in Nagorno
Karabakh issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not the oil but the
peace”.
By Hakob Chakrian