Azerbaijani, Turkish diaspora organizations hold joint meeting in Germany

The joint meeting of European Azerbaijanis Congress and Azerbaijan-Turkish Diaspora Coordination Council was held in Frankfurt, Germany on Nov. 21-22, Azerbaijan State Committee for Diaspora said.

Vice-speaker of Azerbaijani parliament Bahar Muradova, chief of socio-political department of Azerbaijan's Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov, chairman of Azerbaijan State Committee for Diaspora Nazim Ibrahimov, parliamentarians Sabir Rustamkhanli and Fazil Mustafa, several Turkish parliamentarians and public figures attended the meeting.

The event began with demonstration of a documentary “One nation, two states”.

Making a keynote speech at the meeting president of the European Azerbaijanis Congress Bashar Komur said the millions of Azerbaijanis and Turks living in various countries are concerned over the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia on Oct. 10.

“Of course, the discussion of this issue worries us while 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories are under occupation and over one million of our compatriots have been displaced. We hope Turkish parliament’s statements that the protocols will not be ratified unless the conflict is solved will remain effective. We consider that Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora organizations should express their view on this issue,” he said.

Chairman of the State Committee for Diaspora Nazim Ibrahimov said Turkish officials have reiterated that the protocols will not have negative influence on Azerbaijan-Turkey relations, solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict, that the borders will not open unless Armenia ends the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, but the recent happenings in the region show that the concerns are not groundless.

“There is a need to study the influence of the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations on the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, to express approach of the Diasporas to the issue,” he said.

He added that it is expedient to hold public discussions in this regard.

Vice speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Bahar Muradova expressed confidence that this meeting will contribute to the friendship between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

“We invite Turkey to avoid any wrong step on this way and we believe that Turkey’s interests are covering Azerbaijan’s interests as well”.

Chief of the Public Policy Department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov addressed the conference with a report on impact of Azerbaijani-Turkish partnership on peace and cooperation in the region.

Hasanov mentioned the place and role of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in the Azerbaijani-Turkish relations and spoke about the impact of Turkey’s current policy on this issue.

He touched upon the position of Turkish government in the border issue and its attitude to the energy supply, gas and transit prices. He also mentioned the anti-Azerbaijan campaign in Turkish media and noticed the concern of Azerbaijani community about that.

Later, Hasanov informed the participants about the position of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the Azerbaijani-Turkish relations and Turkey’s policy in the South Caucasus. Turkish parliamentarian from CHP (Republican Popular Party) Yilmaz Atesh read out CHP leader Deniz Baykal’s letter to the participants of the conference.

The participants of the conference addressed the Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents, as well as the parliaments of both countries.

“We are against the ratification of the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia without liberation of Azerbaijani lands, return of one million Azeris to their homeland, as well as withdrawal of Armenian genocide and territorial claims against Turkey. We believe that Turkey, which has rich statehood traditions, will irreproachably pass historic test and not to take any action against interests of friendly and fraternal Azerbaijan."

/APA/