Faruk Logoglu: “If the occupied territories are not liberated, Russia also has responsibility at least as much as Armenia”
Interview with Faruk Logoglu, former ambassador of Turkey to Azerbaijan and US, former head of Turkish Foreign Ministry’s executive office, foreign affairs advisor of the chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP)
-For the first time recently the main opposition party of Turkey has sent a delegation to the US. Did you discuss in Washington the so-called genocide claims and occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenians?
-Neither we, nor the Americans brought the first issue into the agenda. But Nagorno Karabakh conflict was discussed in separate meetings and we expressed Turkey’s position. We underlined that the position of the Republican People’s Party is to develop Turkey-Azerbaijan relations.
-What was the aim of your visit?
-We exchanged views on the plans of the Republic People’s Party concerning Turkey’s leadership. We focused our attention on Turkey’s foreign policy, but “genocide” claims were not brought to agenda.
- We know from the reports from Washington that you had a successful visit. They reported that you discussed the situation of the democracy in Turkey in details. What do you think, how the democratic issues will effect on the regional conflicts?
- CHP has an open-minded idea about this issue: regimes in the countries, where people movement take place, should be changed in accordance with the demands of the people. If the government can not conduct democratic reforms, they have to leave the power. Democracy, human rights, justice, equality are the human categories in our opinion.
- As the main opposition party, you are looking forward to take power in June elections. As you know, one of the important problems of Azerbaijan is the liberation of the lands occupied by the Armenians. AKP government’s policy of “normalization of the relations with the neighbors” was not successful. What are concrete targets of your party for soonest liberation of the Azerbaijani lands from the occupation?
- The most concrete step is that Armenia should immediately withdraw its forces from the occupied territories according to the UN and OSCE resolutions. CHP advocates for the Turkey’s active involvement in fair solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. It needs to give importance to the liberation of the occupied territories and solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan rather than normalization of the Turkish-Armenian relations. The most important thing is to argue Russia into the solution of the problem. I think, if the occupied territories are not liberated and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is not solved, Russia also has responsibility for this issue at least as much as Armenia. The Minks Group can not be enough effective and therefore it needs to bring a new way of approach to this problem. US and Russia have to make more efforts for the solution of this problem. Azerbaijan can usefully use its energy potential for the fair solution of the Nagorno Karabakh problem.
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