PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stressed Turkey's support for Azerbaijan when answering questions in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Asked whether Turkey became party to the Karabakh conflict when it linked the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border with resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Erdogan said that the opening of the border was a different question.
“As for the protection of Armenians’ rights in Turkey, it is one of our obligations and we adhere to it. On the other hand, we protect the interests of fraternal Azerbaijan and we cannot accept the violation of Azerbaijani’s rights by Armenians,” he said, adding that Turkey was ready to open the border if certain steps were taken
Prime Minister Erdogan said that Turkey had always called for the OSCE Minsk Group to be active in the Karabakh peace process. “As soon as the Minsk Group fulfills its commitments, we will reach a solution,” he said.
Erdogan said that 70,000 Armenians live in Turkey, while another 40,000 have come to Turkey from Armenia, and repeated comments made last year that they could be deported.
“We can deport them but understand that they were forced to leave their country. We signed protocols in Zurich to solve our problems. However, nowadays Armenia is ashamed of the diaspora and is faced with problems as it moves alone. If the Armenian government took more determined and consistent steps in the right direction, we would be able to advance and open the border. We feel no hatred against Armenians and Armenia,” he said.
Asked by a French MP about the rights of religious minorities, he said that Armenian church in the Turkish city of Van had been restored at state expense, Hurriyet newspaper reports.
“Last year a religious service was held in Sumela Monastery. An Armenian church in Van was restored and opened for services as well.”
The Church of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island in eastern Turkey was opened for one service in September 2010
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