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BAKU: Turkish PM: Armenian Rapprochement Depends On Karabakh

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  • BAKU: Turkish PM: Armenian Rapprochement Depends On Karabakh

    TURKISH PM: ARMENIAN RAPPROCHEMENT DEPENDS ON KARABAKH

    news.az
    April 15 2010
    Azerbaijan

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeated that the border
    between Turkey and Armenia will remain closed until a settlement is
    reached on Karabakh.

    Erdogan made the remarks to reporters on his arrival in Turkey from
    the United States where he attended the Nuclear Security Summit.

    'The occupation of Azerbaijan's territory is the reason why our border
    [with Armenia] was closed in 1993. Now we want that to be fixed and
    we are ready to take the step as soon as that happens,' the prime
    minister said.

    He said Turkey stood behind the commitments it made in the protocols
    with Armenia, signed in October 2009 in Switzerland.

    'We respect the principle of pacta sunt servanda [agreements must be
    kept] and are committed to what we signed in Zurich. But no one has
    the right to impose their own memories on Turkey, just as Turkey has
    never tried do to this [to anyone else],' Erdogan said.

    Asked about Iran's nuclear program, Erdogan said, 'A different version
    of the Nuclear Security Summit in the USA on 12-13 April will be held
    in Iran on 16-17 April. Officials from Turkey will attend the meeting.

    On numerous occasions, we have stressed that a democratic and
    diplomatic solution is the only way, since anti-democratic attempts
    have always led to human tragedies.

    'On the other hand, Turkey is the only country among the member states
    of the United Nations Security Council that has a border with Iran.

    There have been friendly relations between Turkey and Iran since the
    Treaty of Zohab in 1639. Our border is about 380 km. Our trade volume
    exceeded $10 billion. Iran is our second biggest supplier of natural
    gas after Russia. We cannot leave aside all those relations. Our
    friends should realize this.'

    Asked whether Kurmanbek Bakiyev, the ousted leader of Kyrgyzstan, had
    sought asylum in Turkey, Prime Minister Erdogan said, 'No such request
    has been made. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has held a series of
    telephone conversations with US officials about the developments in
    Kyrgyzstan. We are ready to do our utmost to find a solution.'

    The prime minister also expressed his profound sorrow over the loss
    of life in the earthquake in China.
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