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Igdir governor: Turkish government has not given an instruction to us to make preparations for the reopening of the borders with Armenia â€“ EXCLUSIVE

Igdir governor: Turkish government has not given an instruction to us to make preparations for the reopening of the borders with Armenia â€“ <font color=red>EXCLUSIVE </font>

22 April 2009 09:25 (UTC +04:00)

Commenting on the reopening of Turkey-Armenia borders and preparations for the reopening of Alican checkpoint the governor said both Turkish and Azerbaijani media had recently reported about the reopening of Turkey-Armenia borders.
â€œTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already taken a stance on it. The government has not given an instruction to us to make preparations for the reopening of the borders with Armenia. Being the governor I am unaware of it. I regard the reports on the reopening of the borders as speculative reports aiming to form public opinion,â€ he said.

Karahisarli also touched on the reports that preparations were being made in connection with the reconstruction in Alican checkpoint.
â€œOne or two vehicles are observed in Armenian side. Basing on it, media writes that preparations are being made to reopen the borders with Armenia. But the vehicles observed in Armenian side are simply excavators. Armenians are carrying sand from the Araz river. They have been doing it for many years. Even in the protocol meetings on the border we made remarks to Armenia that removal of sand layer violates ecological balance in the river and changes the river-bed. No work is observed in our part of the checkpoint. Alican checkpoint was last repaired ten months ago. We want not only Alican checkpoint, but also other checkpoints to be adapted to the modern standards. As time passes, the roads of the checkpoints decay, electric lines become out of order. We are trying to solve these problems at the expenses of the municipality. I assure you that there is no program, budget or work in Igdir in connection with reopening of the borders or construction of customs office,â€ he said.

The governor said they had made all roads in Igdir two-lane and added:
â€œIf we had opened Alican checkpoint, we would have made its road two-lane, too.â€

Karahisarli noted that it did not mean that the borders with Armenia would never open.
â€œTurkish parliament, government and Turkish people can make this decision. We do not want to have problems with neighboring states. But if Armenia solves its problems with neighboring states, solves Karabakh problem, extends a hand of friendship to Turkey, we will want to establish good relations with the neighbors basing on the principles â€œPeace at home, peace in the worldâ€ as Ataturk said,â€ he said.