Interview with Mustafa Kabakci, chairman of the Turkish-Azerbaijani interparliamentary group of friendship.
Q: Is the Turkish parliament going to make any changes in its position in the future related to the ratification of the protocols signed in Zurich on normalization of relations with Armenia?
A: The Nagorno Karabakh conflict is a problem of the whole Turkic world. The Karabakh conflict is the first issue involving the Milli Medjlis of Azerbaijan and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Turkey has always been next to Azerbaijan and will continue to be next to you.
The parliament of Turkey, overall, and the Turkish public has developed an unambiguous opinion that those who do something against Azerbaijan in Turkey will turn into the enemy of Azerbaijan.
Q: Does the Turkish parliament and the Turkey, overall, feel the external pressure due to the normalization of relations with Armenia and which corrections are needed to be done to the country's position over the victory of the Republican party in the elections to the US House of Representatives?
A: I can say for sure that Turkey is already not the country which we knew several years ago and it is now impossible to put pressure on it. Naturally, all the same Turkey continues independent policy considering the events in the world. Certainly, Turkey is also interested in the events in the United States. But all the same, these events do not have any impact on Turkey's policy. Turkey will continue independent policy. Considering this, Turkey's policy in the South Caucasus region will also continue to be independent. I repeat that Turkey takes into account the processes in the United States but at the same time I would like to note that Turkey's relations with Azerbaijan are aimed at the future. In addition, Azerbaijan is not an ordinary country for Turkey. Azerbaijan is a fraternal country for us. Therefore, Turkey's position will not change.
Q: Which prospects do the Turkic states have within the framework of the Parliamentary Assembly they have created?
A: The Turkic Parliamentary Assembly has the road map of the development of the organization. All the same, this organization will prepare plans to develop cultural, economic, political relations of the Turkic countries, strengthen the integration processes in the activity of the diaspora organizations. We are going to intensify each of these directions in separate.
At the next upcoming summit of the Turkic Parliamentary Assembly in Astana we are going to establish permanent committees on social and legal issues, trade and economic and energy issues, as well as international relations. We are planning to elect the chairmen of these committees and their deputies in Astana. In addition, there is a plan to adopt the program of actions of the Turkic Parliamentary Assembly for 2011-2012 in Astana, as well as the anthem and attributes of the assembly.
Lala B.
News.Az
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