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Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister: Turkeyâ€™s position on Karabakh problem will continue as before, nothing has changed

16 March 2009 07:48 (UTC +04:00)

Chevikoz had high-level meetings with the U.S. officials in Washington and discussed President Barack Obamaâ€™s forthcoming visit to Ankara.
â€œObamaâ€™s visit is very important. The relations between the two countries were discussed during the recent visit of the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Ankara. We saw that the two countries had very significant foreign policy targets. We have a common agenda on a number of issues, including our relations with Iraq, Afghanistan, Caucasus and Russia,â€ he said.

Commenting on Turkeyâ€™s policy with respect to Armenia Chevikoz said the whole world witnessed everything.
â€œAfter September 6 visit of President Abdullah Gul to Yerevan, high-level warm relations were formed between the two countries. Foreign Ministers met seven times. The ways to improve Turkey-Armenia relations were discussed at the meetings. We hope the relations will normalize soon and it will be continuous. There are some preparations in this respect and these preparations will be realized with support of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries,â€ he said.

Ahmet Unal Chevikoz also commented on Azerbaijanâ€™s attitude towards Ankara-Yerevan relations.
â€œBeing our nearest neighbor in the region Azerbaijan is attentively observing normalization of the relations between Turkey and Armenia. On the other hand, there is unsolved Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is normal that Azerbaijan is observing these processes. But Azerbaijan need not worry or doubt anything. Turkeyâ€™s position on Karabakh problem will continue as before, nothing has changed. Of course, normalization of the relations between Turkey and Armenia is parallel to the process of settlement of Nagorno Karabakh problem,â€ he said.

Turkish diplomat said his country was not mediator, but played an easing role in the settlement of the conflicts in the region.

Ankara has offered opportunities for contacts between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Israel and Palestine and played an easing role in Israel-Syria and Syria-Lebanon dialogues and European Unionâ€™s contacts with Iran.
â€œAll this is sourced from everybodyâ€™s confidence in Turkey,â€ he said.