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  • Erdogan's visit reveals unpromising edges of Turkish-Azeri cooperati

    AZG Armenian Daily #121, 01/07/2005


    Turkey-region

    ERDOGAN'S VISIT REVEALS UNPROMISING EDGES OF TURKISH-AZERI COOPERATION

    Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan finished his two-day
    visit to Azerbaijani capital of Baku yesterday. During this short stay
    Erdogan laid a wreath on the tomb of Heydar Aliyev, strolled at the
    Alley of Shehids, took part in the opening of new embassy of Turkey
    and met with president Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijan's top echelons.

    The fact that Turkish mass media was avaricious in covering Erdogan's
    visit does not downplay its importance for Turkish-Azeri relations. But
    one should not forget about omnipresent American factor in these
    relations. The American influence made itself tangible when secured
    its presence in the South Caucasus by means of Georgia, showing thus
    that it will get along without Turkey in the region.

    Losing its role in the South Caucasian policy of the US, Turkey
    found its position swayed in the region. This fact reduced to minimum
    Turkey's capacity to intervene in Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

    In this situation of American military presence in the South Caucasus,
    Turkey's joined policy with Azerbaijan does not promise any serious
    prospects but simply puts Turkey before a dilemma and creates
    conditions for the latter to run into Armenian initiatives. This is
    the reason why Turkish mass media, terse in covering Erdogan's visit,
    informs in details that prime minister's delegation includes only
    one deputy from oppositional People's Republican Party. The latter
    was chosen to accompany Erdogan for being the head of Turkish-Azeri
    Intergovernmental Friendship Group and for having Azeri roots.

    Turkish mass media indicates meanwhile that Turkish prime minister
    always has in his delegation not less than 3 deputies from ruling
    Justice and Prosperity Party not only for foreign visits but also for
    domestic trips. While Turkish press emphasizes the economic character
    of PM Erdogan's visit, Azerbaijan constantly paints the visit into
    political colors and tries to use it for pressing on Turkey in terms
    of Armenian-Turkish border opening and Karabakh issue.

    President Aliyev told CNN-Turk about Azerbaijan's readiness to "grant
    Karabakh's Armenian community privileges and to guarantee its secure",
    adding "The Armenian side understands that it has no alternative
    but talks". Aliyev's chief foreign policy adviser Novruz Mamedov
    warned Turkey that opening of Armenia-Turkish border will increase
    tension in South Caucasus and added, "Armenia is striving for close
    relations on one hand, and concentrates arms at the Turkish border
    on the other. What's the meaning of this concentration?"

    He reminded of Azerbaijan's great support in carrying on negation of
    the Armenian Genocide. These words of Mamedov seem to have aroused
    opposition in Turkey as Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan, Turan
    Moralen, called a press conference and stated, "Baku has to take
    encouraging steps in order to get Turkey activated in the region".

    By Hakob Chakrian
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