CLOSED BORDERS ARE ARMENIA'S FAULT: HIKMET CETIN

Monday, 07 December 2009 11:38

“Turkey has been among the first countries to recognize Armenia’s independence.

“We believe that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will want Washington to take serious steps to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during his visit to the U.S,” Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said.Turkey had opened borders with Armenia before 1992 and the two countries had contacts. Yet, when we saw that Armenia starts occupying Azerbaijani lands, we could not stay indifferent,” Turkey’s former Foreign Minister (1991-1996) Hikmet Chetin told in his interview to Turkish Milliyet.

“We believe that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will want Washington to take serious steps to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during his visit to the U.S,” Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said.“I have witnessed all these events and it is too difficult when you get information that your brothers are killed and their lands are occupied every day. Certainly, Turkey could not bear this and seeing that Armenia continues aggression against Azerbaijan despite numerous appeals, we decided to close borders with this country. Thus, closed borders are Armenia’s fault,” the former minister said. “If now Armenia stops occupation of these lands, I think there will be no hindrances for establishment of relations. Our prime minister should also explain the situation to Obama. He should say that the opening of borders without due steps from Armenia’s part in this direction will be problematic. Armenia should respond to Turkey’s goodwill gesture at least by withdrawing from 5 occupied regions.

“We believe that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will want Washington to take serious steps to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during his visit to the U.S,” Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said.Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is an excellent diplomat and he understands that the full settlement of the Karabakh conflict cannot be expected now. But the release of the occupied lands could at least reduce distrust in the region. I think Obama can put pressure on Armenians in this issue in order to raise confidence in this region,” he said.