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Deniz Baykal: No one in Turkey can ignore betrayal with respect to Azerbaijan, no government can do it

11 April 2009 12:56 (UTC +04:00)

In his one-hour speech Baykal criticized the Caucasus policy of Turkish government and underlined that it might cause serious results for the country. Deniz Baykal noted that Turkey closed the borders with Armenia after the latter occupied Azerbaijani territories and said it had nothing to do with the so-called genocide, Yerevanâ€™s refusing to recognize Turkeyâ€™s borders.
â€œThe major part of our relations with Armenia is the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Such issues as genocide allegations, non-recognition of our territorial integrity may be solved later, these are not the vital issues for Turkey. Once Syria had claims for Hatay. What happened later? Now we have warm enough relations with Syria. Turkey is a great self-confident state. Our problems with Armenia may be solved gradually, Turkey need not worry about it or feel obligation to take any step. The main thing is the release of the occupied Azerbaijani territories,â€ he said.

Deniz Baykal said the occupation of Azerbaijani territories was not only the claim of Turkey and Azerbaijan, the fact was confirmed in the international documents. He mentioned that the UN Security Council had adopted four resolutions concerning it and briefed the content of the resolution to the journalists. Deniz Baykal said UN General Assembly and PACE had also passed decisions on the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Baykal said Turkey closed the borders with Armenia in 1993, during Suleyman Demirelâ€™s presidency and noted that all the following governments were committed to that policy, only AKP government had recently begun to give up that policy, the official position of the state with respect to Armenian policy had been removed from the official website of the Foreign Ministry. He underlined that the foreign pressures on the government might cause serious results for Turkeyâ€™s foreign policy and image of the state.
â€œA part of the attention paid to the Middle East and Arab countries, should be paid to the Caucasus and Central Asia. Otherwise, pressures on Turkey will increase and everybody will see that they can achieve whatever they want by pressures. This is very dangerous. It will also damage the confidence in Turkey. it should be prevented,â€ he said.

Deniz Baykal said Armenians had occupied not only Nagorno Karabakh, but also the surrounding regions and named the seven regions.
â€œAs a result of the occupation, about one million people were displaced,â€ he said.
Turkeyâ€™s opposition leader underlined Azerbaijanâ€™s importance in the region.
â€œAzerbaijan is the most important and biggest country of the Caucasus. Turkeyâ€™s Caucasus policy is impossible without Azerbaijan. Turkey should pursue its Caucasus policy together with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is very important in terms of energy strategy of Turkey and even of the European Union and is an important part of Nabucco project. In this respect, losing Azerbaijan may increase the power of Russia and Iran in the region,â€ he said.

Deniz Baykal said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoganâ€™s statement that the borders will not open unless Azerbaijani territories are released is not enough.
â€œThose who had secret talks with Armenia in Switzerland should say what
they had discussed. Obama came and said it openly, nobody said anything. The
government should make serious statements. Prime Minister tries to console us. It is unacceptable,â€ he said.

Deniz Baykal said Armenia should demonstrate that it ends the occupation, plan should be prepared in line with the UN resolutions, Armenians should begin to leave Azerbaijani territories within this plan.
â€œOnly after that the borders can be reopened. But there is no such a plan, instead the reopening of the borders is being discussed. For what? They say a joint commission of historians will be set up. First, the borders will be reopened, after that the commission will be set up. This is a very dangerous way. As I have already said, the issue on borders has nothing to do with the genocide. The only stipulation is the release of Azerbaijani territories. Turkey had undergone pressure before, but displayed patience. We can tolerate it, too. Azerbaijanâ€™s concern is right,â€ he said.

Deniz Baykal said the Republican Peopleâ€™s Party attaches great importance to Azerbaijan.
â€œNo one in Turkey can ignore betrayal with respect to Azerbaijan, no government can do it. Azerbaijani people need the support of Turkish people. Our party will send a delegation to Azerbaijan in connection with this,â€ he said.