Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would open its border with Armenia if Yerevan stopped its occupation of Upper Karabakh.
In an interview with state-run TV broadcaster TRT, Erdogan said it was the precondition to re-open the border gate. Turkey cut all diplomatic ties with Yerevan and closed a border gate with its northeastern neighbor in 1993 after Armenia occupied Upper Karabakh region in Azerbaijan. Erdogan also said that there were no problems in relation between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Upon a question on talks with the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, on a possible loan deal, Erdogan said Turkey saw IMF officials irresolute.
Erdogan said Turkey would ink a deal with the IMF if it would be in the best interest of Turkish people.
"Turkey is a country that can stand on its own legs," Erdogan stated.
"Moreover, we are a partner country in IMF," he said, adding that his government was disappointed as the fund should be the one to help partner countries instead of raising difficulties for them in some cases.
"There is no need to be sorry if it (IMF) is still irresolute," he said.
Asked about the cause of irresolution, Erdogan said IMF asked Turkey to lower expenses.
"We can not lower those figures. If we do it, then we will have difficulties in investments. We want to continue making investments. If we stop them, there will be problems in employment," he added.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
