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Shukru Elekdag: â€œNon-inclusion of an article about Kars treaty in the protocol means that Turkey loses its right of guarantor for Nakhchivanâ€

21 October 2009 15:53 (UTC +04:00)

Ankara â€“ APA. â€œThe issue irritated Azerbaijan today is that the government gave a guarantee to Baku that the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement will be in parallel with the process of settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. It told Azerbaijan that the opening of borders with Armenia is impossible without the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan believed in these promises, but the foreign ministryâ€™s statement on September 2 made Azerbaijan anxious. The statement showed that Turkey couldnâ€™t persuade Armenia to hold these processes in parallel. Despite that AKP government tries to force Azerbaijan to believe in its contraryâ€, said member of the Turkish parliament from CHP Shukru Elekdag during the parliament discussion over the protocols signed with Armenia.

Elekdag said that AKP government couldnâ€™t understand the place of Azerbaijan in the Turkeyâ€™s national strategy. â€œIt is impossible to explain how important place Azerbaijan takes in the national strategy of Turkey. You say we open to Turkic world, but do you imagine the Turkic world without Azerbaijan? The governmentâ€™s mistakes arise from its non-understanding of Azerbaijanâ€™s strategic significanceâ€.

CHP parliamentarian said that ban on Azerbaijani flags at the Bursa stadium hurt Azerbaijan. â€œIf the Turkish flag was banned at the stadium of other country, what we would do? AKP government didnâ€™t protest the waving of Karabakh flags by Armenians during the match in Armenia. Our government offered Armenia to ask FIFA to ban the Azerbaijani flags at the stadium. But I would like to address our Azeri brothers too. How mistakenly was the action in Bursa, so mistakenly was the lowering of Turkish flag at the Baku Turkic Martyrdomâ€.

Shukru Elekdag criticized Foreign Minister Amet Davutoglu, who said: â€œIt is not a problem that the protocols do not contain an article on the recognition of Kars treaty by Armenia.â€
â€œDonâ€™t forget that as soon as Armenia gained its independence, it passed a decision not to recognize Kars treaty. Non-inclusion of an article about Kars treaty in the protocol means that Turkey loses its right of guarantor for Nakhchivan. According to the 3rd article of Moscow treaty, Turkey and Russia are guarantors of Nakhchivanâ€™s status. When Armenia occupied Shusha on May 8, 1992, it simultaneously attacked Sederek region of Nakhchivan, Armenian armed forces began military operation 10 km far from our borders. Then Heydar Aliyev asked Turkey to help and President Suleyman Demirel called the meeting of the government. Taking into account Kars and Moscow treaties, the government decided to warn the Armenian government, Deputy Prime Minister Erdal Inonu contacted Armenian Foreign Minister and said the answer to this action would be severe. The commander of the land forces declared combat readiness of the Turkish troops and Armenia was obliged to stop attacks on Nakhchivan. So, Kars treaty played a very important role in protecting Nakhchivan from Armeniaâ€™s attacks,â€ he said.

Shukru Elekdag said Armeniaâ€™s socio-economic position is very hard.
â€œArmeniaâ€™s economy has collapsed, its people are leaving the country. Under these circumstances, Turkey plays the role of a windpipe for drowning Armenia. Turkey should take an opportunity for its interests. But it acts quite the contrary. Why? Let me explain. U.S. congressmen say that Turkey-Armenia thaw is under the patronage of America. If you ignore the national interests, the result will always be so,â€ he said.