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Turkish expert: If Minsk Group demands compromises from Azerbaijan contradicting the international law it will destroy the process

10 February 2010 15:36 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Lachin Sultanova, Gulshan Hajiyeva â€“ APA. Head of Turkish Center for Strategic and International Studies Celal Cem Oguz gives interview to Azerbaijani mass media

-The mediators say that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be solved basing on compromise. What compromise is expected from Azerbaijan? May they say that the occupied territories expect Nagorno Karabakh should be released?

-I do not know what compromises are expected from Azerbaijan. If a country is right, wants to protect its territorial integrity, the level of the required compromise is also known. If they want more, this country will not agree to it, it means that those who want it are not benevolent. There is the issue of territorial integrity. What is the first condition of the international politics? The inviolability of borders. The international system has been founded basing on this. If there are more demands from Azerbaijan, I do not believe that they are benevolent. If it is right, I am disappointed with the position of Minsk Group. Because the initiative concerning the settlement of the problem is in hand of Minsk Group. If Minsk Group acts contradicting to the international law it will destroy the process.

-Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiated to establish Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform. How real is the realization of this idea?

-This is a very good idea. Being an expert for the region, I support this idea. But I do not believe that the idea will be realized under the present circumstances and with the current position of Armenia. Turkey has done its best for the cooperation in the Caucasus. But the signs from Armenia show that they do not have such a will. Despite the good idea, I think it is not real now. It should be discussed in future if the conditions improve.

-What should be done for this?

-First of all, Armenia should normalize its relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Turkey closed the border with Armenia for two reasons: Armeniaâ€™s territorial claims against Turkey, occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Bzhezinsky says foreign policy looks like a spaceship, it is impossible to maneuver much. It is impossible to make radical changes in Turkeyâ€™s foreign policy concerning this issue. If these two wishes are not fulfilled and there is no coordination on these two issues, relations with Armenia cannot be developed.

-Turkish Foreign Ministry official visited Switzerland and the United States due to the situation created around the protocols. What do you think, what Ankara will demand from the United States concretely?

-I think two issues will be on agenda. First, they will require to pressure on Armenia because there are great differences between what they say now and what they said earlier. Second one is that the Armenian Diaspora sends the â€œgenocideâ€ resolution to the Congress. It will not have positive effect on the process, but in contrary will cut it. I think the United States will be informed about that.

-Armenia prepared bill giving to the president an authority to withdraw his signature under the protocols.

-It is not a good initiative. It is a trick. Of course, Armeniaâ€™s domestic policy should be taken into consideration. What reaction did these protocols cause in Armenia? It should be reviewed. Armenian authorities have two intentions: first, to keep domestic protests against its policy and second, if affairs with Turkey are going backward, to use it as a mean of threat. At last it is an initiative against the spirit of the process.

-Recently the opening of Azerbaijani representation in Palestine and Palestinian in Azerbaijan came to agenda. How is reaction of Turkey to the improvement of Azerbaijan-Palestine relations?

-I should have more details to express opinion about this issue. But I can say easily that if Azerbaijan makes such decision, Turkey will like it because Palestine should also integrate into the international system. Palestine needs in support in this period because it is experiencing hard days. If there is such decision it must be welcomed.

-Israeli Foreign Minister visited Azerbaijan. How is Turkeyâ€™s opinion about the development of Azerbaijan-Israel relations? Does it have any negative case for Turkey?

-It will never be so. Turkey welcomes good relations of Azerbaijan with the international actors. We have no right to dispute it. If Azerbaijan wishes to develop its relations with Israel and other countries, we respect its decision.

-What is your opinion about future of Nabucco project?

-This is very important project. The energy was the main factor determining the international system since later 19th century until present, especially after 1990s. The United States declared its national energy policy in 2001 calling the energy story as declining of sources and increasing of dependence. It needs to diversify sources and to guarantee security of proposals. The Caspian region is very important for independence from the Middle East. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are very important. Nabucco is a serious project for diversification of the resources. It requires serious thinking on it and keeping it on agenda. It will be very sad if Nabucco is stopped. I donâ€™t believe that this project will fail. It is important to make sustainable energy and proposal security. Nabucco should be carried out for that. I am optimist.