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Recap Tayyip Erdogan: â€œWorld jealous of Azerbaijanâ€™s and Turkeyâ€™s sharing grief and joy

09 March 2007 07:40 (UTC +04:00)

- How do you evaluate the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan? What about the reality of the notion â€œone nation in two countriesâ€??
- Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are growing in all spheres on the basis of deep-rooted and culture-pushed brotherhood. One of the architects of these relations, the great leader Heydar Aliyev said Azerbaijan and Turkey are one nation in two independent states. This slogan came true. The world feels jealous of Azerbaijanâ€™s and Turkeyâ€™s sharing both the grief and the happiness.
The two countries are enjoying high-level political, economic, military, cultural, commercial and other relations. The mutual confidence and joint activities strengthened and consolidated our relations and we created a healthy foundation for this cooperation. We observe that Azerbaijanâ€™s energy wealth, fast developing economy, effective reforms in democracy and human rights elevate it to its deserved summit. Implementation of Baku-Tbilissi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum projects shoulder-to-shoulder with Brother Azerbaijan and Neighbor Georgia will be followed by execution of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad project. Azerbaijan is very determined towards this issue.
Turkey have to date favored Azerbaijani people in sad and happy days and will do its utmost afterwards.
- Armenia continues to occupy 20% of Azerbaijanâ€™s territory. Stipulating that Armenia should withdraw from Azerbaijanâ€™s lands and some one million of displaced Azeri people should return to their native land, Turkey said it would have relations with Armenia after that. Armeniaâ€™s giving up baseless â€œgenocideâ€? and territory claim is one of the stipulations Turkey made. If Armenia gives up the false claims, can Turkey close eyes to occupation of Azerbaijanâ€™s lands and Karabakh conflict?
-You know what stance Turkey has taken on Armeniaâ€™s aggression against Nagorno Karabakh and 7 neighboring regions. Within its potential, Turkey is giving all possible support for Azerbaijan in its fair fight. Turkey supports termination of the occupation violating the international laws. We will not leave Azerbaijan alone.
If Armenia gives up its current policy and takes a friendly stance, it will take a significant step toward the normalization of the relation. It seems to me, this move will lead to the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and improve relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
- There are cool relations between Turkey and the European Union?
Is it possible that the attempt to develop all-round relations with the Turk republics becomes the priority? In this case, how real is it to create Turk Common Market?
- First of all, I would say the relations between Turkey and the European Union are not alternative or rival to the ties between Turkey and other Turkic states.
We enjoy historical, ethnic and cultural relations with Turkic states, and Asian geography has always been one of the priorities in Turkeyâ€™s foreign policy. Turkey was the first to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan and Turkic states in Central Asia and has done its best to backed strengthening of their independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, political-economic integration into the international arena, as well as their political, economic and military infrastructure.
Summit of Heads of Turkish speaking countries is the platform bringing together the Turkish countries. The last summit held on November 17, 2006 in Antalya was the indicator of the importance Turkish speaking countries attach to the solidarity ad mutual understanding.
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars-Akhalkalaki railway project are building up strategic bridge between Central Asiaâ€™s Turk Republics, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
These countries that celebrate the 15th anniversary of their independence have become the members of international community and took their merit places in the world. Our cooperation covered all the levels of our societies within these 15 years. I have no doubt that all sides show political will to develop the relations on the basis of respect, equality and common advantage. /APA/