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Suat Kiniklioglu: Hillary Clinton has a key to set up draft law on so-called Armenian genocide for discussions at the Congress - EXCLUSIVE

Suat Kiniklioglu: Hillary Clinton has a key to set up draft law on so-called Armenian genocide for discussions at the Congress - <font color=red>EXCLUSIVE</font>

09 February 2009 08:20 (UTC +04:00)

Istanbul. Mayis Alizadehâ€“APA. Suat Kiniklioglu, Deputy Chairman of the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party for Foreign Affairs returned from Washington. He held several meetings regarding â€œArmenian issueâ€ in Washington. Kinikliogli spoke about all these issues while giving an interview to APA Turkey bureau exclusively.

- Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan made regular statements on normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations and â€œArmenia issueâ€. How are you engaged in this issue in Washington?

The issue is on the agenda. Draft law on so-called Armenian genocide can be raised for discussions at the Congress any time. We try to prevent it. The delegation from Turkish Parliament will leave for Washington to provide objective information about the issue. We try to decrease impact of Armenian Diaspora on Armenia coordinating with Azerbaijan on Turkey-Armenia relations. Armenian Diaspora is concerned about the issue. In fact, we want to kill two birds with one stone. We want to debar Armenian Diaspora from the process and want to assist our fraternal Azerbaijan to solve Nagorno Karabakh conflict justly.

- Do you suppose that Obama administration will support the draft law on so-called Armenian genocide to be debated at the Congress?

-Obama administration is addressing mostly the economic issues now, but it doesnâ€™t mean that the issue of so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€ will not be brought to the agenda tomorrow or another day. More things will depend on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. If Mrs. Clinton opposes a draft resolution, the Armenian lobby will face with more difficulties to bring a new resolution to the Congress. I can say that Hillary Clinton has a key to this issue.

- After the Russian invasion of Georgia the Turkish Prime Minister proposed the â€œCaucasian Stability and Cooperation Platformâ€. What is the future of this platform? Can Turkey work together with Russia?

-Turkey has special relations with Russia. Our relationship is gradually developing. The main problem for Russia is Georgia. If these two countries resolve problems between them, there will be a good condition for the strengthening of the â€œPlatformâ€.

- There are facts about the Russiaâ€™s arm shipment to Armenia. Earlier Russia sold $1.1 billion arms to Armenia and last year $800 million arm deal was reached between Russia and Armenia. Is the confidence in the future of the â€œCaucasian Stability and Cooperation Platformâ€ reduced under this condition?

-Russia looks at all arm deals from the commercial point of view. Moscow is actively carrying on arm trade with many countries from China to Iran, but its arm shipment to Armenia is hacking the peace in the region. We are against the Russiaâ€™s arm shipment to Armenia, because these arms are preventing, first of all, the fair solution to the Nagorno Karabakh problem. We advocate for the liberation of Azerbaijani lands from the occupation and solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.