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INTERVIEWS

Azerbaijan-Turkey relations are rapidly developing

Interview with  Deputy Executive Secretary of YAP, member of the MilliMajlis SiyavushNovruzov

Q: A delegation of the New Azerbaijan Party has recently visited Turkey, and attended a meeting of the Justice and Development Party.  What can you say of the cooperation prospects between the parties?

A: The New Azerbaijan Party enjoys very broad relations with Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party. Different bodies of our parties are also very actively cooperating, including women`s organization s, youth wings and local bodies. And the participation of YAP`s delegation in the meeting of the Justice and Development Party is a vivid evidence of strong relations between our parties.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu was elected as the new chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party at the congress.

Our delegation met with the new management of the part, we congratulated them and wished further success in the activities. We also discussed prospects for developing the bilateral relations. Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan’s paying his first official visit to Azerbaijan is a strong signal of strong relations between our countries.

Q: Why is Mr. Erdogan`s visit so important?

A:This visit certainly proved that Azerbaijan-Turkey relations are rapidly developing. Historically, the people of our two countries have always shared common views and supported each other.

One of the most important points here is that Azerbaijan-Turkey cooperation is making a tremendous contribution to regional and international security. This demonstrates itself particularly in the execution of energy projects with the participation of the two countries. These projects is both playing an exceptional role in ensuring Europe`s energy security and strengthening the influence and image of Azerbaijan and Turkey on the international scale. Regional projects involving both countries have gone far beyond regional borders to become the projects of global importance. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum oil and gas pipelines and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway increase the opportunities of effectively using Azerbaijan`s energy and geographic potential. TANAP and TAP projects will strengthen not only economic ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey, but also strengthen their relations in the field of security.

All this testifies to excellent strategic relations between the two countries. From this point of view the Turkish leader`s visit is of great importance.

Q: How can Turkey`s growing regional role influence the settlement of conflicts in the Middle East and neighboring regions?

A: Turkey is located in one of the volatile regions, and very serious processes are taking place here. Turkey is one of the superpowers, it has a strong mil9tary, and is a member of NATO. From this perspective, problems can hardly be solved in the Middle East against Turkey`s will. All countries realize this. Turkey has always been trying its best to ensure security and peace in the region, and prevent people, including women`s, children`s and elders` from dying as a result of conflict. You know that there is an army of refugees in the territory of Turkey, and it helps them. I believe that the country will have a bigger role to play in the region.

Q: Do you think it will speed up efforts regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute?

A: Turkey has strong influence on the South Caucasus region, it pursues an active policy in the region. It also has close ties with Georgia. As far as Armenia is regarded, Turkey`s border with it remains closed because it occupied Azerbaijan`s lands. RecepTayyip Erdogan has repeatedly stated that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the major condition for the establishment of peace, stability and security in the region. On this issue, Azerbaijan has always felt support of Turkey on the international arena.

Turkey`s position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is praiseworthy. In 1993, Ankara closed borders with Yerevan because of Armenia`s occupying Azerbaijan`s lands.

Q: In Turkey, you also visited our soldiers who receive treatment there. What can you say of their condition?

A: Azerbaijan, in the person of President Ilham Aliyev, pays great attention to the Azerbaijani servicemen who are receiving treatment in Turkey. As you know Azerbaijani delegates are regularly visiting our soldiers in Turkey. Turkish state officials and public figures are also visiting the soldiers. 

This once again proves that our government, pour President pay great attention to the army and our servicemen.

Q: Some media outlets were spreading biased information during recent escalation of tension on the line of contact. What amendments should be made to the law to prevent further such actions?

A: Azerbaijan`s information security wasrecently discussed at a meeting chaired by chief of the Presidential Administration RamizMehdiyev, which involved heads of the government information bodies and the country`s media leaders.

International practice shows that in such cases media should refer to press services of government bodies. “Recent violence on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and the line of contact has revealed illegal and unprofessional activities of some mass media outlets, particularly Internet resources, and also clearly demonstrated inability of relevant public bodies responsible for information provision to properly perform their functions,” Mr. Mehdiyev said at the meeting. He provided facts of false information about dislocation and movement of the Azerbaijani army, artificial exaggeration of the death toll, attempts to sow confusion within people living in frontline districts and the country`s society in general.“Necessary steps must be taken to ensure that any action against Azerbaijan`s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitution or any attempt to take such actions, including those threatening the information security and national interests of the society, face the full force of the law, and I warn that these steps will be taken further on,” he said.

I think that the law on army and security should be reviewed at the fall session of the parliament. And the law on press should also be amended.