Top Azeri envoy on way to Ankara
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Barçın Yinanç
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 02, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL -Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev wants to send an envoy to Turkey to improve relations that have been strained by ongoing reconciliation talks between the Turkish government and Baku’s arch-foe Armenia.
Well-informed sources have told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review that President Aliyev, though upset by developments in Turkish-Armenian relations, has signaled that he is seeking to reinvigorate Azerbaijan’s relations with Ankara and is hoping to have a greater say in any further progress made toward opening the border between Turkey and Armenia.
Turkey and Armenia said late last month they agreed on a road map to normalize relations, which in turn upset Azerbaijan, with whom Turkey has fraternal ties.
The polemic over whether Turkey informed Azerbaijan on the content of talks with Armenia was carried to diplomatic platforms during Aliyev’s visit to Brussels. At a NATO council meeting where the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process was discussed, Turkish Ambassador Tacan İldem said Turkey informed Azerbaijan of the talks with Armenia. Aliyev’s reply was like a splash of cold water: "Informing is one thing, consulting is another."
The incident is significant because the two country’s representatives never enter into a polemic in front of third parties and to the contrary they rather cooperate closely on international platforms. "One nation, two states," is the motto often used to describe the warm relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Although Aliyev has not been shy so far in showing his reaction, he also started signaling he wants to put relations back on track. "Now that the 24th of April is over, let’s start our consultations," is the gist of the message Aliyev has sent to Ankara. April 24 is the day Armenians commemorate the events of 1915 each year. Aliyev is planning to send a high-level envoy to Turkey to discuss the "road map" and on how to proceed from now on, according to a Turkish official who asked to remain anonymous.
Azerbaijan wants a strong link between a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and the normalization process, which includes establishing diplomatic relations as well as opening borders. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 when Armenian troops moved to occupy seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan believes Armenians should first withdraw from five of the seven territories before Turkey goes ahead with opening the border. The faith of the two remaining regions, the Lachin corridor and Kelbecer, is also important for Baku. Partial withdrawal from the Lachin corridor as well as joint use of the corridor by Turkey and Azerbaijan should also be preconditions, according to Azerbaijan.
Armenia does not want to withdraw from the regions before there is an agreement on the overall principles of the problem. Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders are set to meet May 7 in Prague.
Turkey and Armenia said late last month they agreed on a road map to normalize relations, which in turn upset Azerbaijan, with whom Turkey has fraternal ties.
The polemic over whether Turkey informed Azerbaijan on the content of talks with Armenia was carried to diplomatic platforms during Aliyev’s visit to Brussels. At a NATO council meeting where the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process was discussed, Turkish Ambassador Tacan İldem said Turkey informed Azerbaijan of the talks with Armenia. Aliyev’s reply was like a splash of cold water: "Informing is one thing, consulting is another."
The incident is significant because the two country’s representatives never enter into a polemic in front of third parties and to the contrary they rather cooperate closely on international platforms. "One nation, two states," is the motto often used to describe the warm relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Although Aliyev has not been shy so far in showing his reaction, he also started signaling he wants to put relations back on track. "Now that the 24th of April is over, let’s start our consultations," is the gist of the message Aliyev has sent to Ankara. April 24 is the day Armenians commemorate the events of 1915 each year. Aliyev is planning to send a high-level envoy to Turkey to discuss the "road map" and on how to proceed from now on, according to a Turkish official who asked to remain anonymous.
Azerbaijan wants a strong link between a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and the normalization process, which includes establishing diplomatic relations as well as opening borders. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 when Armenian troops moved to occupy seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan believes Armenians should first withdraw from five of the seven territories before Turkey goes ahead with opening the border. The faith of the two remaining regions, the Lachin corridor and Kelbecer, is also important for Baku. Partial withdrawal from the Lachin corridor as well as joint use of the corridor by Turkey and Azerbaijan should also be preconditions, according to Azerbaijan.
Armenia does not want to withdraw from the regions before there is an agreement on the overall principles of the problem. Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders are set to meet May 7 in Prague.