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Hulusi Kilic: â€œWe can not expect ratification of protocols by the Turkish parliament under these conditionsâ€ â€“ INTERVIEW - PHOTOSESSION

Hulusi Kilic: â€œWe can not expect ratification of protocols by the Turkish parliament under these conditionsâ€ â€“ <font color=red>INTERVIEW - PHOTOSESSION</font>

01 March 2010 09:02 (UTC +04:00)

Gulshen Hajiyeva â€“ APA. Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic gives interview to APA

-There was some coldness in the Azerbaijani-Turkish relations after the signing of Turkish-Armenian protocols. Are you satisfied with current state of the relations?

-Turkeyâ€™s actions taken for normalization of relations with Armenia concerned Azerbaijan in 2009. But the statements by the Turkish President, Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker and Foreign Minister, as well as other messages solved these concerns. I guess that Turkish Prime Ministerâ€™s statements in Washington and Moscow that the borders will not be opened without solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict bringing this issue on the international agenda refreshed and strengthened trust between the countries. I would like to remind the Prime Ministerâ€™s answer to one question in Madrid on February 22. He said that on the insistence of Turkey, the Nagorno Karabakh discussions were moved forward, but he emphasized the importance of OSCE Minsk Group proposal and said the protocols couldnâ€™t be ratified by the Turkish parliament without solution to the conflict. He said solution to the conflict would also promote solution of many problems between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey and Azerbaijan have perfect relations and even last year developments strengthened our relations.

-After the decision of Armenian Constitutional Court it seems impossible that the protocols are ratified by the parliament and the sides blame each other. What actions will be taken after that?

-We donâ€™t consider that the Armenian Constitutional Court made good will decision. It contains unacceptable pre-conditions and determinative comments. Turkey will continue to be loyal to its constructive position at the discussions and to spirit of signed protocols. We expect Armenian government also shows decisiveness and good will. The decision of the Constitutional Court is not only a legal-technical detail. It is a document demonstrating political will of the countryâ€™s leadership as well and this decision weakened our confidence in the political will of the Armenian leadership.

-Did the protests of Azerbaijani side promote this situation?

-Turkish-Armenian normalization process is crammed into deadlock because of Armenia, but not Azerbaijan. Unfortunately I see Azerbaijan thinking so. As if Azerbaijan didnâ€™t protect the normalization process in 2009, Turkey will continue it without any condition. This is wrong thinking. We donâ€™t accept such position. First of all, Turkey is a country with strong, rich and deep diplomacy, successfully defending its interests at the international arena. It was said that Turkey had not enough experience in the region at the beginning of discussions with Armenia, but Turkey is a strong country, well-knowing its region and realizing its interests everywhere. Turkey closed its borders with Armenia in a protest against Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands at his own wish and no other hegemonic country could do that. Did our Azerbaijani brothers demand Turkey to do that in 1993? Turkey is willing to support and to assist Azerbaijan in any field.

-Armenia said it would ratify the protocols after their ratification in Turkey. Is Armenia right to make such condition?

-Turkey is willing to implement the protocols. The government of Turkey informed the public community about the protocols and sent them to the parliament just after their signing. It is groundless to blame Turkey in delaying the process. Armenian Constitutional Court delayed hearing on the protocols for three months. We donâ€™t consider it right to expect Turkey to ratify the protocols first.

-How it will be developed if the protocols are not accepted by both parliaments?

-We can not expect ratification of the protocols by the Turkish parliament. I think the discussions can not be developed in such situation. This is not Turkey cramming the process into deadlock, but I believe the process will be finalized successfully. There is great need in peace, stability and order in the region.

-April 24 is closing in and other countries will increase pressure on Turkey to ratify the protocols. What position will be shown against this pressure?

-Turkey is struggling against the so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€ claims. We passed through this process before the US President Barack Obama and our position was always same and open. It will be so further. We will not bow before new pressure. The United States is not interested in adoption of so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€ resolution.
If Obama uses the word â€œgenocideâ€ during his 24 April speech, he will be known in the history as the â€œpresident losing Turksâ€ not as â€œpresident winning the confidence of Armeniansâ€. Turkey is a strong country in the region and its allies are not ready to lose it. We believe that logic and rationality will prevail in the U.S. Congress and the national interests of America will be brought to the forefront. We think that those who offered this draft resolution betray the interests of the US in the region, stir up enmity among the nations, damage peace and stability in the region. Politicians should not do the work of the historians.

-No agreement has been reached on the price of the natural gas sold by Azerbaijan to Turkey. This is even regarded as one of the reasons of the problems in the realization of Nabucco project.

-The long-lasting discussions between Azerbaijan and Turkey on the natural gas are speculated much. Some confuse commercial issues with the political issues. You know that various issues are touched on within one package in the discussions. Revision of the price of the natural gas to be produced in the first phase of Shahdeniz project, price of the natural gas to be produced in the second phase of Shahdeniz project, determination of the transit tariffs to be applied on the natural gas that will be sold to the European markets through Turkey are mainly being discussed. As Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz has said Turkey has given appropriate proposals, Azerbaijan is expected to assess them, then an agreement will be reached. I want to correct one mistake. Turkey supports Nabucco. But there is no official connection between Turkey-Azerbaijan natural gas discussions and Nabucco, the sides are not discussing the issues related to Nabucco project.

-What new projects do Azerbaijan and Turkey plan to realize?

- Turkey and Azerbaijan have all-round relations. But this is not enough for us, we make efforts to realize new projects. We plan to achieve signing of the preferential trade contract, increase trade turnover, hold events in the field of culture. For example, Turkey-Azerbaijan joint film will be made basing on â€œMahmud and Meryemâ€ by Elchin Efendiyev. 90 percent of the shootings will be made in Azerbaijan.

-What about the discussions on the mutual recognition of the diplomas of Azerbaijani and Turkish universities?

-The mutual recognition of the diplomas is a technical issue that is in the competence of higher schools of the countries. Serious improvement has been made in the mutual recognition of the diplomas of Azerbaijani and Turkish universities. As regards the recognition of the diplomas of the faculties of medicine and law, recognition of the diplomas of these faculties is a problem in all countries of the world.