Foreign

Home page

Foreign

Azerbaijani political scientists and politicians react to Abdullah Gulâ€™s visit to Yerevan â€“ OPINION POLL

Azerbaijani political scientists and politicians react to Abdullah Gulâ€™s visit to Yerevan â€“ <font color=red>OPINION POLL </font>

01 September 2008 15:13 (UTC +04:00)

â€œAbdullah Gul visits Armenia at the Russiaâ€™s proposal because Armenia is not independent and canâ€™t invite Gul to Armenia at his own. Russia reached some agreements with Turkey and according to these agreements Russia creates some opportunities for Turkey in Caucasusâ€, said Political Scientist Vafa Guluzadeh while commenting to APA on Turkish President Abdullah Gulâ€™s planned visit to Armenia. He said Russia intended to increase its influence on Turkey. â€œTo tell the truth, Russia wants to separate Turkey from the West and to establish new block in the Caucasus and to lead it. Russia needs in the straits and wants to cooperate with Turkey in this field. The Caucasian platform has no other meaningsâ€.

Political Scientist Rasim Musabeyov said it was inexpedient to confuse over this visit. He said Azerbaijani side made specifications over this visit and Abdullah Gulâ€™s visit to Armenia was not able to change anything. â€œIt is not changing of Turkeyâ€™s position. If their any initiative doesnâ€™t succeed it will damage only Turkeyâ€™s personal image. Turkeyâ€™s population, army and governing elite will never allow to give away Azerbaijanâ€™s interests to the Armenian claimsâ€.

Political Scientist Ilgar Mammadov said new situation was created in the region after Georgiaâ€™s breaking off relations with Russia. Earlier Georgia was the only gate for Armenia to Russia. Now when this gate was shut Armenia sees its development only through the Iranian border. â€œTherefore Turkish leadership wants to use this situation and to force Armenian leaders to leave their territorial claims against Azerbaijan and Turkey and instead of this to take advantage from the wide regional cooperation. The main goal of Gulâ€™s visit is thatâ€.

Deputy Executive Secretary of New Azerbaijan Party and member of the Parliament Mubariz Gurbanli said he had no authority to evaluate Gulâ€™s visit and wouldnâ€™t like to answer this question. â€œAzerbaijan and Turkey are fraternal and ally countries and we do not have to concern over any visit of Turkish President, because our friendship and brotherhood are perpetualâ€. Gurbanli said it was impossible to say anything before how Gulâ€™s visit will effect on Nagorno Karabakh problem.

Chairman of the All Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Gudrat Hasanguliyev condemned Gulâ€™s visit to Yerevan. Hasanguliyev said Turkey might agree this issue with Azerbaijan. â€œHowever in any case Turkey shouldnâ€™t make such proposal because at first Armenians accuse Turkey in such crime against mankind as genocide.

In exchange for it they invite to watch football together. It does not become a friendly country to do it. I think Turkish people will express their attitude towards this in the next elections. I am sure present authorities of Turkey will face reproach for their acts,â€ he said.

Chairman of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Ali Karimli said Turkey being an independent state determined its foreign policy itself. He considers that Abdullah Gulâ€™s visit contradicted the principles declared by Turkey before.
â€œTurkey always said the countryâ€™s attitude towards Armenia will not change unless Armenia takes off its hands from Nagorno Karabakh and retracts its territorial and genocide claims against Turkey. Armenia has not retracted its claims and I think Turkeyâ€™s changing its policy it not right,â€ he said.

Chairman of Great Establishment Party Fazil Gazanfaroglu said Gulâ€™s visit coincided with the tension in the region and it was difficult to express unambiguous position. Despite this he underlined that Turkey was a great state and had its own interests.
â€œSince Azerbaijan is at war with Armenia it is impossible and undesirable for our country to establish relations with Armenia under these circumstances. We should allow Turkey to achieve realization of its initiatives and have influence on Armenia. The visit aims at this,â€ he said.

Chairman of Umid (Hope) Party Igbal Agazadeh also said that Turkey determined its foreign policy itself. He said Azerbaijan and Turkey had demonstrated unique policy against the background of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations up to now.
â€œThere were no sharp differences in the policy with respect to Armenia. they always coordinated their policy. The reason of Abdullah Gulâ€™s action should be clarified to Azerbaijan. It should be explained how it complies with Azerbaijanâ€™s interests. Azerbaijani and Turkish community may protest against it,â€ he said.

Chairwoman of Azer-Turk Union Tenzile Rustemkhanli said after Armeniansâ€™ claims Turkish Presidentâ€™s visit to Yerevan was not right. Rustemkhanli said Turkey had great problems with Armenia and added that the visit had been planned long before.
â€œThe forces, who protested to it, are in prison now. This visit was not a surprise. Armenia shows Turkeyâ€™s lands on its map. The visit on the presidential visit can not be considered right unless these problems are solved. The state program of Turkey writes that no relations can be established in Armenia unless Azerbaijani territories are liberated,â€ she said.

Chairman of Musavat Party Isa Gambar did not take a stance on the issue and advised to ask one of his assistants. Chairman of the party assembly Sulheddin Akbar condemned Gulâ€™s visit to Yerevan. He said Turkeyâ€™s warming its relations with Russia and Armenia should be regarded as giving a hand to an aggressor.
â€œThis is a wrong step. Armeniaâ€™s blockade has strengthened as Georgia cut off diplomatic relations with Russia. Turkey takes contrary position and gives a hand to Armenia when it is favorable time to increase pressures on Armenia.This visit contradicts Azerbaijanâ€™s interests,â€ he said.

Director of Ataturk Center in Azerbaijan, head of Azerbaijan-Turkey interparliamentary friendship group Nizami Jafarov did not want to express severe attitude toward this at the moment.
â€œTurkey is a great state, it has its own state policy. I am sure that Turkey will not change its strategic position and never renounce its way of restoration of Azerbaijanâ€™s violated rights. Abdullah Gulâ€™s any visit to Armenia will not contradict common position of Turkey. Presidents of all states may meet one another. Turkey can make tactical changes in these processes. The conflict has lasted long and such efforts can be made to solve it,â€ he said.
Jafarov said that the visit could also be regarded as Armeniaâ€™s getting out of crisis.
â€œBut Dashnasutyun made a statement protesting against this meeting. I regard this effort of Gul as quick solution of problems,â€ he said.