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Hikmet Cetin: â€œStability in the region is impossible without peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armeniaâ€ - INTERVIEW

Hikmet Cetin: â€œStability in the region is impossible without peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armeniaâ€ - <font color=red>INTERVIEW</font>

17 November 2011 08:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ramil Mammadli â€“ APA. APAâ€™s interview with former Turkish foreign minister and speaker of the parliament, NATO chief civilian officer in Afghanistan in 2004-2006, Hikmet Cetin

- How do you value the integration of the Turks into the world?

- The period of my office at the foreign ministry coincided with the tense time for the region. The countries, which we knew from distance nominally, gained their independence and Turkey was the first country recognizing them. The relations with the independent Turkic-speaking countries are developing day by day. We want these countries to integrate into the civil world. If we look back, we can see that in the past 20 years, most of these countries, including Azerbaijan, could save their independence, develop and became weighty countries in the international countries. The cooperation is developing, but the issue of political union of the Turkic-speaking countries is not on agenda. We need to develop the issues dictated by the common history, culture and religion and we work toward this.

- The negotiations over the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict are going on. How do you see the position of Turkey in the settlement of this conflict?

- I was in Azerbaijan when Turkey and Armenia signed the protocols. Azerbaijan was right to concern about it. I would like to repeat what I said in that time. Turkey can not make any decision, which troubles Azerbaijan or puts it in a difficult position. Even if these protocols were correct in terms of statehood, I didnâ€™t believe in any cooperation between Turkey and Armenia, when large part of Azerbaijani territory was occupied and more than one million Azerbaijanis turned into refugees and displaced persons. Of course, the region needs in peace and stability. Azerbaijan is an important country in the region and advocates for peace. For that Nagorno Karabakh and seven nearby regions must be liberated from the occupation. In brief, stability in the region is impossible without peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I believe that Turkey supports and will always support Azerbaijan in this issue.

- What is the main factor which prevents the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

- According to the decisions of the UN, OSCE and the other international organizations, Karabakh is the Azerbaijani land. Of course, it will be needed to determine the status issue for the conflict settlement. But it needs a time. It is also necessary for Armenia to accept it. Nagorno Karabakh canâ€™t be independent, it is impossible for it to unite with Armenia, as well as have a region status. This territory must have a special status within Azerbaijan. The first step that will be taken is the return of 5 regions to Azerbaijan and resettlement of Azerbaijanis to those regions. It will be a step of positive intention for the settlement of that conflict. In my opinion, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, USA, France, Armenia and Russia must focus attention on this issue.

- What the recent activation of PKK terrorist organization is related with? Is it related with the developments in the region â€“ mainly tension between Turkey and its neighbors?

- PKK is not a new issue. Terror is an old problem. No country can accept the terrorist attack against it from the territory of neighboring country. It is necessary to destroy terrorist camps in the Northern Iraq. The cooperation of Turkey with USA and Iraq on this issue will be further increased. It is necessary to solve this problem. Northern Iraq must pull through being terrorist nest.