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Baku: No Doubt There Are Armenians Among Pkk Leaders - Mesut Yilmaz

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  • Baku: No Doubt There Are Armenians Among Pkk Leaders - Mesut Yilmaz

    NO DOUBT THERE ARE ARMENIANS AMONG PKK LEADERS - MESUT YILMAZ

    News.Az
    Tue 02 October 2012 10:15 GMT | 11:15 Local Time

    Mesut Yilmaz
    News.Az reprints from Gun.Az an interview with former Turkish Premier
    Mesut Yilmaz.

    The statements of Turkish President Turgut Ozal's poisoning have been
    on the agenda for some time. The court has passed a decision to exhume
    the former president's body. What do you think about it?

    I am aware about the court's decision but I do not believe in Ozal's
    poisoning.

    How do you assess the domestic and foreign policy of the ruling Party
    of Justice and Development?

    As I do not deal with politics at the moment, I would not like to
    speak about domestic policy. On the other hand, if I do not speak
    about it in Turkey, it means I won't speak in Azerbaijan too. There are
    differences in the current Turkish foreign policy which are changing
    with time. Syrian issue is one of the major examples.

    We are constantly voicing our concern about the position of the
    Turkish government on this issue. We do hope that our concern will
    be taken into account.

    Turkey announced 'zero problems' with neighbor states. Is it real to
    conduct such a policy?

    It is possible if our neighbors have the same will that Azerbaijan
    has. However, since Armenians remain in the tunnel of history,
    whatever good intentions we had the achievements of the policy of
    'zero problems' would not be possible. I believe that the Turkish
    government had good intentions, however, it soon faced the reality.

    What can you say about Turkey's relations with Iran?

    Throughout history Iran has been the country which had the most
    peaceful ties with us, was our closest neighbor for we have had no
    wars since 1600. All the same, our relations with Iran are expanding.

    Both countries support normal relations. However, there are major
    factors that hinder this. One of them is Turkey's NATO membership.

    Iran considers the United States its biggest enemy. We have NATO on
    one side and our historical neighbor-Iran on the other side. This
    policy requires a delicate approach of the Turkish government. Such
    policy has been successful but risky for Turkey until present. Turkey
    may also face such risks in the future.

    The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh has not been
    settled yet. What is your position on this issue?

    If the resolution of the Karabakh conflict depended only on Turkey,
    this problem would have been solved for long. However, the conflict
    has many parties.

    One of these parties is Russia. Former Russian President Dmitriy
    Medvedev did much to solve this issue, however, no results were
    achieved. President Vladimir Putin continues this activity. I do not
    know which policy he would pursue over this issue, we are looking
    forward this with a great interest.

    Russian FM Sergey Lavrov made a statement which said that in case
    one of the conflict parties use weapon, Russia would not stay aside.

    Changes are expected in the Russian policy on this issue in the coming
    years. This should be a focus. Meanwhile, Turkey's stance in Karabakh
    issue is well known.

    EU also wishes to interfere with this issue. There are different views
    inside EU. Some circles support the fair position of Azerbaijan in
    the Karabakh issue. Unfortunately, quite a complex situation has been
    created today.

    There are still no achievements in the resolution of the conflict.

    However, everyone has to know that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
    cannot remain unsettled. The OSCE Minsk Group must find its solution.

    Armenia is gradually degrading while Azerbaijan is achieving a great
    development in all spheres including in military and economic fields.

    Today Armenia has turned into an isolate country. I can say that time
    is playing on Azerbaijan's side and against Armenia. Armenia should
    also be aware of this and if it does not do it, it is important that
    other states show this to it.

    Armenia is preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
    so-called 'Armenian genocide' in 2015. What steps will Turkey take
    against it?

    I think that Turkey holds every necessary work over this issue. Turkey
    has expressed its position over the so-called genocide and offered
    Armenia to create a commission of neutral and independent historians.

    This commission is to study the archives of both states and take a
    decision. Armenia has not accepted this proposal, since it declared
    this event as genocide without historians' studies and achieved its
    recognition by a number of the law-making bodies of Europe.

    The announcement of genocide without the decision of the court,
    facts or historical proofs is peculiar of only Armenians. Armenia
    has not yet opened its archives to world historians.

    Armenian terrorist organization ASALA has spread statements of threats
    addressed to Azerbaijani and Turkish diplomats. What do you think
    about it?

    Armenians used to resort to terrorist methods in the past, as a result
    of which many Turkish diplomats and citizens became martyrs. However,
    when they saw that Turkey is able to defend itself, they gave up their
    actions. Unfortunately, Turkey is obliged to live with terror. And
    if they repeat it, they will get our response. If ASALA or other
    terrorist organizations commit a terror attack against us, they will
    have the worthy punishment.

    So why is Turkey unable to give a worthy response to PKK?

    Unfortunately, compared to ASALA, PKK has a greater power and
    more terrorists. Regardless of the strength of fight against PKK,
    the number of their terrorists is too high. I think that the use of
    force against PKK is not enough. Other sides of the issue should also
    be taken into account. The bans on songs, education and press of the
    ethnic people of Turkey have been removed for the first time in period
    of my activity in the government. These laws were also executed in
    the next periods too. I think that this is the right policy.

    Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Sinan Ogan has recently
    announced that most people who lead the PKK terror organization are
    Armenians which is proven by the court...

    I cannot say anything specific on this issue since it has been 10
    years that I am far from the government and have no state documents
    on hands. If this statement was made by the state representative,
    the state was to have proofs. I would not be surprised if I had
    information that the persons leading PKK are mostly Armenians.

    PKK can closely cooperate with the countries hostile to Turkey. If
    from time to time the PKK was supported by Syria and Greece, it is
    also real that this terror organization is also supported by Armenia.

    Today Armenia is stuck in crisis. Therefore, in order to blow a deal to
    Turkey, it can support both PKK and any other terrorist organization.

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