Azerbaijani top official: Azerbaijan satisfied with Turkey's position

Position of Turkey, which is a strategic partner of Azerbaijan, fully satisfies Baku, Chief of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration's Socio-Political Separtment Ali Hasanov told journalists today.

"We and Turkey, as one nation with two states, have unique diplomatic, political, social, cultural links and we are not going to break these ties under nobody's order. Turkey is also committed to this position," Hasanov said.

It will be possible to open borders between Turkey and Armenia only after the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is resolved, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Washington.

"Only resolving of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict can become the basis for the opening of Turkish-Armenian border", CNN Turk quotes Erdogan as saying.

Hasanov said during the recent meetings in Washington, Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made it clear that it is impossible to establish normal economic and social relations between Armenia and Turkey without resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, achieving normal diplomatic breakthrough on the Armenian-Azerbaijani front and the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied lands.

"This position satisfies us. We believe Turkey, as a brotherly and friendly state of Azerbaijan, will adhere to this position and defend it until the end," he added.

Azerbaijan is dissatisfied with the activities of the United States to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group, Hasanov said.

"Azerbaijan has repeatedly raised the questions on violations of its rights and territorial integrity that are under the influence of Armenian lobby, forgetting about the neutrality, openly support Armenia," Hasanov said.

He said putting pressure on some neighboring countries - Turkey and other states - the United States requires the establishment of political ties. "This does not relate to the U.S. mission, in particular, as a member of the Minsk Group," Hasanov said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.


/Trend/