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Davutoglu Pledges Not To Disappoint Azerbaijan

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  • Davutoglu Pledges Not To Disappoint Azerbaijan

    DAVUTOGLU PLEDGES NOT TO DISAPPOINT AZERBAIJAN

    Turkish NY
    Sept 16 2009

    In a bid to win the opposition's support of the government's plans
    to normalize relations with neighboring Armenia, Foreign Minister
    Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday held talks with several political party
    leaders and reassured them that Turkey's move to normalize relations
    with Yerevan would not harm its friendly ties with Baku at all.

    Davutoglu visited main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP)
    leader Deniz Baykal, Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Masum Turker
    and Felicity Party (SP) leader Numan KurtulmuÅ~_. The minister had
    already met with Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Å~^ahin last week. Yet,
    Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, a strong critic
    of the plans to restore relations with Armenia, rejected Davutoglu's
    request for a meeting. Under Switzerland's mediation, Turkey and
    Armenia announced on Aug. 31 that they had agreed to start internal
    consultations before signing two protocols on the establishment of
    diplomatic ties and the development of bilateral relations.

    Davutoglu's talks with opposition parties mark the beginning of the
    domestic consultation process, which is expected to be concluded within
    six weeks following the announcement of the deal. The conclusion of
    the domestic consultations will then be followed by the ratification
    of the protocols by the Turkish and Armenian parliaments. Parliament's
    role is thus vital in the normalization process. Prime Minister Recep
    Tayyip Erdogan has noted the accords would not go into effect until
    the Turkish Parliament approves them.

    All three political leaders with whom Davutoglu met tied the
    normalization of relations between Ankara and Yerevan to the resolution
    of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Baku and Yerevan, Today's
    Zaman has learned.

    "We won't take a step which will sadden our Azerbaijani brothers. They
    are being informed of the entire process imminently and it will go
    on as before," Davutoglu told the leaders in response.

    Turkey closed its border and severed its diplomatic relations with
    Armenia in 1993, in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan in a war
    between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
    region. But nearly two years ago, Turkish and Armenian diplomats
    launched closed-door talks on the normalization of relations. Reopening
    the border and establishing ties with Armenia would increase
    predominantly Muslim Turkey's influence in the region and aid its
    faltering bid to join the European Union. The bloc has long asked
    candidate member Turkey to normalize ties with its neighbor, and
    restoring diplomatic ties would also be beneficial for regional
    security.

    But the opposition is skeptical, saying a possible move to reopen
    the border without an Armenian withdrawal from Azerbaijani territory
    would be detrimental to Turkey's national interests. In addition
    to the mostly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh, seven adjacent
    Azerbaijani regions were also occupied by Armenia during the 1991 war.

    "There is an image that the process is under the control of the
    Armenian side. We don't find it appropriate. The process should
    be taken out of the control of the Armenian side," KurtulmuÅ~_
    told Davutoglu.

    Speaking at a press conference following his meeting with Davutoglu,
    Baykal remained skeptical on the government's initiative, saying that
    the protocols planned to be signed by Ankara and Yerevan included no
    reference to the need to end occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia.

    "There is an image that the process is under the control of the
    Armenian side. We don't find it appropriate. The process should be
    taken out of the control of the Armenian side," KurtulmuÅ~_, meanwhile,
    told Davutoglu during their meeting.

    In response, the minister said: "Yes, as you said, the image is
    like that. But this is not true. Nobody has been controlling the
    process." Davutoglu and KurtulmuÅ~_, who said his party would not
    support the process as long as the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute is not
    resolved, agreed to meet once more after the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

    Davutoglu is paying visits and requesting meetings with all leaders
    whose political parties won at least 1 percent of the vote in the
    July 2007 general elections. As of today, Davutoglu is scheduled to
    hold talks with Grand Unity Party (BBP) leader Yalcın Topcu and
    Democrat Party (DP) leader Husamettin Cindoruk. He is expected to
    meet with Democratic Society Party (DTP) leader Ahmet Turk after the
    Eid al-Fitr holiday.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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