Cansu Çamlıbel – Hurriyet Daily News
Azerbaijan understands the importance of the Cyprus issue to Turkey but is concerned about the effect recognition of northern Cyprus as an independent state could have at home, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov has said.
“Do not be led into thinking that Cyprus is less important for us than it is for you, but those who run your state also know quite well that if only Azerbaijan recognizes northern Cyprus by itself, 15 [other] states will recognize Nagorno-Karabakh. Take that into consideration. Turkey would not want that,” Hasanov said at a press meeting in Baku, referring to the enclave contested by his country and Armenia.
During the press meeting, Hasanov also defended existing visa requirements between Turkey and Azerbaijan, while making an implicit reference to Russia as the key to solving the conflict with Armenia.
Turkey has the right to expect Azerbaijan to recognize northern Cyprus, he said, adding that the only reason why that has not happened yet is because other states would then recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh in turn. He also said there are people within Turkey who would like to open the Turkish-Armenian border, but the Turkish state prevents that from happening.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a constituent part of Azerbaijan that has been occupied by Armenia since the end of 1994. The enclave is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, but it has declared itself an independent republic.
According to Hasanov, the Association for Assisting the Young and the Istanbul Brotherhood and Cooperation Association have been providing humanitarian assistance to Azerbaijani refugees from Karabakh for 18 years – a total of $6 million in aid to date. The deputy prime minister said he had warned the two associations beforehand that no religious activities would be permitted, but that they would be welcome to provide humanitarian assistance.
Both organizations have worked in harmony with the Azerbaijani government, Hasanov said, but added that there were many Arab and European countries that conducted missionary work under the guise of humanitarian assistance. Two or three Wahhabi associations affiliated with Saudi Arabia have already been shut down, he said.
“We lived under such a regime in the past where our youngsters were brainwashed to believe that Turkey was bad. They did not permit us to celebrate Nevruz,” Hasanov said, referring to the March 21 holiday that celebrates the arrival of spring in many parts of the Middle East. Nevruz is the official new year in Iran and is also celebrated in Turkic republics.
Armenia just does not understand the fact that God condemned the two Caucasus states to live as neighbors, Hasanov added.
“I used to believe back in 2001 that time was with us on the Karabakh issue, but I no longer think that way. The issue is getting deeper as time drags on. Time has worked in our favor only economically speaking, but it is working against us politically,” he said.
“We always say that if things keep going this way, we could declare war. We would have liked to see Turkey behind us, but there is international law. There is a security agreement between Russia and Armenia,” Hasanov added. “Turkey cannot back us [militarily], but of course we see [Turkey] beside us politically. It is not like Turkey will be fighting a war with Russia anyway.”
Baku is negotiating with Yerevan solely for the sake of negotiating, as Azerbaijan would be labeled an “anti-democratic state” if it did not participate in the meetings, Hasanov said. Some 28 Armenian citizens were arrested when the Armenian president was elected, he added, saying that no one bothered to comment about this.
“Of course there has been no progress in the meetings. If there had been any progress, would it have gone on for 18 years? They cheated us for 10 years. We are not even resettling our people on that land, believing they will return. [These are] all political games. We are a country that respects international expectations and must continue on with the meetings,” he said.
“The whole world knows this problem. It is necessary to talk to the one that created this problem… She must do in Armenia what she did in Georgia. If she raises her voice, the government there would change,” Hasanov said, in an apparent reference to Russia. “What are we going to speak about with Armenia? For this issue to drag on for this long is neither in Turkey’s nor in Europe’s favor, nor is it in favor of the one that created this problem.”
Visa lifting ‘depends on Iran’
The lifting of visa requirements for Turkey by Azerbaijan “depends on Iran,” Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov has said.
“Iran says there are over 30 million Azeris living there. The day we remove visa requirements on Turkey, we should follow suit with Iran. Last year we were getting ready to lift the requirements with Turkey, but Iran objected [by threatening to] close down the Nakhchivan road. As such, these are parallel processes for us. But we are not ready yet to lift visas with Iran,” he said.
“The state has a reflex to protect itself. Nearly 300 tons of drugs pass through Iran’s borders every year. We catch only about five or 10 tons of these,” he added.
Hasanov also dismissed claims that Azerbaijan was more lenient toward Russia in regard to the sale of natural gas.
“Azerbaijan sells a total of $16 billion worth of natural gas. The greatest share in this goes to Turkey, at $7 billion,” he said. “If Turkey asked for $15 billion worth [of natural gas,] we would give that, too. But not at discount prices.”
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