TURKISH FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER: NO TURKISH GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE ANY STEP CONCERNING ARMENIA WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH AZERBAIJAN
Abdullah Gul government’s foreign minister Yashar Yakish’s exclusive interview to APA’s Turkey bureau.
Dossier: Yashar Yakish was born in Akchakoja district in Turkey. He graduated from Ankara University, faculty of political sciences in 1962 and started working at the Foreign Ministry the same year. Mr. Yakish worked in Turkish embassies in Lagos, Rome and Aleppo as well as in Turkish permanent representation to NATO in different years. He was appointed ambassador to Saudi Arabia in 1988 and then ambassador to Egypt and UN office in Vienna. Yakish was adviser on economic affairs at the Foreign Ministry in 1992-1995 and retired on a pension in 2001. He is one of the founders of the current ruling Justice and Development Party. Yakish was elected parliament member from Duzja in 2002, and was Foreign Minister in the 58th Abdullah Gul government.
Now he is the chair of Turkish Grand National Assembly standing commission for European Union relations. Yakish was awarded King Abdulaziz order by Saudi Arabian government for his contributions to development of Turkey-Saudi Arabia relations. - How do you assess the current situation regarding the settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict?
- I must say we were dissatisfied with the view appearing after the February meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents. International community does not exert pressure on Armenia. If Armenia felt the least pressure of the international community, it would refrain from its position, I think. During the European Union meetings, they claimed we were wrong regarding Turkey-Armenia relationships. We heard the claims such as Turkey should take the initiative, "open the border". In response to such claims, we stress that Armenia should pull out its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories and accept fair peace in Nagorno Garabagh. In addition, Armenia has territorial claims against Turkey-they call Eastern Anatolia "Western Armenia". We cannot possibly establish any relations with Armenia until it refrains from these claims. No government in Turkey will take any step to have relations with Armenia without consulting with Azerbaijan. - US Congress subcommittee imposed veto on Eximbank to finance the Kars-Akhalkhalak-Tbilisi-Baku railway line project. European Union authorized representative Waldner also declared the EU will not finance this project basing on Armenia’s remaining outside of this project.
- A railway line will connect three countries, and it is up to these three countries to decide weather or not to involve Armenia in the project. Turkey-Armenia border remaining closed is due to Armenia’s policy. On the other hand, the Kars-Ghumru railway is a narrow line, it cannot be used without being repaired. The reconstruction of Akhalkhalak road will spend as much as the reconstruction of Ghumru line. So, Armenia’s claims "there is already a railway" are not true. Secondly, no other country but Armenia is responsible for this road remaining closed. - Turkey and Azerbaijan have already voiced their views regarding financing of this project…
- As Azerbaijan’s oil revenues are increasing, both Baku and Ankara can allocate $350 million to the construction of the railway line. I think, Georgia’s participation in financing is not so necessary in current situation. On the other hand, the United States and European Union would not allow interest-free loan to us. - Resigned US Army Colonel Peters has drawn a new map of the Middle East. Though the map shows united Azerbaijan, the important city Tabriz is shown as the territory of "Kurdustan".
- It is incredible. This map is absolutely wrong. I received an American delegation. When I touched on map issue, I was told it is author’s opinion. And I asked such a question, "I write an article saying Armenia causes a lot of problems to the Caucasus region. So it should be removed. Would the "Armed forces Journal" publish it?" they said "No". So, I asked, "You told everyone can publish everything it likes on the journal". Such things are disgusting. Division of many countries into artificial borders is not acceptable. Several years ago, when Iran proposed to give Mecca and Medina the status of "Holy land", Saudi Arabia’s reaction was severe to this proposal. The above-mentioned map shows Kurdustan’s border lying till the Black Sea coast, including Artvin and Hopa. There is no single Kurd living in these territories while the map shows these as Kurdustan’s territory. Even, Tabriz-center of South Azerbaijan is given to Kurdustan in the map. How many Kurds are there in Tabriz? - The US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group has been substituted. However, there are attempts to exert pressure on Azerbaijan. Do you think the Minsk Group is established for the purpose of making Azerbaijan make trade-offs?
- I think the Minsk Group aims to calm down emotions, distract the attention of the world community from this problem and put forward unacceptable proposals in the end. No more vital thing can I imagine compared to the return of displaced Azerbaijanis to their occupied homelands in Nagorno Garabagh. The attempts to part Nagorno Garabagh from Azerbaijan are doomed to failure. The international law says the same. Regrettably, when Armenians intend to occupy land from Azerbaijan, international organizations ignore their decisions. - As an experienced diplomat and former Foreign Minister, how can you explain Armenia’s incompliance with the decisions of international organizations?
- Armenia has a strong lobby in the West, in particular in US and France. They are establishing relations with rich men in other countries and influence them. Azerbaijan is also developing economically. Though these problems cannot be solved today, everyone can easily imagine the way of solution in future. Azerbaijan should never say "yes I agree to such trade-offs". Because, time is going for Azerbaijan, which is developing its economy. - The European Parliament has many times called for Turkey to open the border with Armenia and recognize the so-called "Armenian genocide". Do you think in the process of EU membership discussions, Turkey will have to take this step? There are no such items in Copenhagen political principles…
- I began to consider this issue as a joke. The discussions on Turkey’s EU membership consist of concrete paragraphs. For instance, while discussing in what standard a cucumber should be in agriculture in European Union, "Turkey cannot say it cannot discuss standard of cucumber without recognizing the genocide." Because, these are quite different issues. Copenhagen principles do not have any paragraph that stresses the importance of our recognizing Armenia. We regard these appeals as the European Union’s consoling itself with. /APA/
- GlobalHye Information Services www.GlobalHye.com, 10 Aug. 2006
TURKISH FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER: NO TURKISH GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE ANY STEP CONCERNING ARMENIA WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH AZERBAIJAN
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