Hürriyet, Turkey
May 2 2009
Top Azeri envoy on way to Ankara
ISTANBUL -Azerbaijani President Ä°lham Aliyev wants to send an
envoy to Turkey to improve relations that have been strained by
ongoing reconciliation talks between the Turkish government and Baku’s
arch-foe Armenia.
Well-informed sources have told the Hürriyet Daily News &
Economic Review that President Aliyev, though upset by developments in
Turkish-Armenian relations, has signaled that he is seeking to
reinvigorate Azerbaijan’s relations with Ankara and is hoping to have
a greater say in any further progress made toward opening the border
between Turkey and Armenia.
Turkey and Armenia said late last month they agreed on a road map to
normalize relations, which in turn upset Azerbaijan, with whom Turkey
has fraternal ties.
The polemic over whether Turkey informed Azerbaijan on the content of
talks with Armenia was carried to diplomatic platforms during Aliyev’s
visit to Brussels. At a NATO council meeting where the
Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process was discussed, Turkish
Ambassador Tacan Ä°ldem said Turkey informed Azerbaijan of the
talks with Armenia. Aliyev’s reply was like a splash of cold water:
"Informing is one thing, consulting is another."
The incident is significant because the two country’s representatives
never enter into a polemic in front of third parties and to the
contrary they rather cooperate closely on international
platforms. "One nation, two states," is the motto often used to
describe the warm relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Although Aliyev has not been shy so far in showing his reaction, he
also started signaling he wants to put relations back on track. "Now
that the 24th of April is over, let’s start our consultations," is the
gist of the message Aliyev has sent to Ankara. April 24 is the day
Armenians commemorate the events of 1915 each year. Aliyev is planning
to send a high-level envoy to Turkey to discuss the "road map" and on
how to proceed from now on, according to a Turkish official who asked
to remain anonymous.
Azerbaijan wants a strong link between a solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem and the normalization process, which includes
establishing diplomatic relations as well as opening borders. Turkey
closed its border with Armenia in 1993 when Armenian troops moved to
occupy seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan believes Armenians should first withdraw from five of the
seven territories before Turkey goes ahead with opening the
border. The faith of the two remaining regions, the Lachin corridor
and Kelbecer, is also important for Baku. Partial withdrawal from the
Lachin corridor as well as joint use of the corridor by Turkey and
Azerbaijan should also be preconditions, according to Azerbaijan.
Armenia does not want to withdraw from the regions before there is an
agreement on the overall principles of the problem. Armenian and
Azerbaijani leaders are set to meet May 7 in Prague.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
