Today.Az - Turkish journalists and business people working in Azerbaijan are against the opening of borders with Armenia

Today.Az » Politics » Turkish journalists and business people working in Azerbaijan are against the opening of borders with Armenia

08 April 2009 [13:16] - Today.Az

“I am against the opening of Turkish-Armenian borders”, Khazar TV News Director Ibrahim Unlubostan told APA.

Unlubostan said he didn’t believe in usefulness of the border opening for Turkey.

“This decision will not be in favor of Turkey. Turkish officials must think about that once more before making the decision”. Unlubostan said Turkey had very experienced diplomacy and recent statements by the president and prime minister of Turkey made him to conclude that they wouldn’t agree with the opening of the borders. “Abdullah Gul said that there was no such agreement with Armenia. I don’t think that the borders will be opened easily after those statements. There were two reasons for closing of the borders: false “genocide” claims and Karabakh issue. The Armenian side made no progress toward both issues, and there are no changes in the reasons forwarded for the opening of the borders”.

Head of the Turkish Radio Television’s (TRT) Office in Baku Muhsin Yildirim told APA that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the issue of border opening reasonably clear in London. “The Prime Minister said that any agreement would be out of question before the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He said Turkey was always supporting Azerbaijan”.

Editor-in-Chief of “Zaman Azerbaijan” newspaper Enes Cansever also told APA that he was very sorry about the reports of opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders. “I, as individual, made my best efforts to prevent realization of this event. Azerbaijan’s concern is my concern”. Cansever said recently they organized the visit of a group of Turkish journalists to inform the Turkish community about the Azerbaijan’s problems and concerns. “I express it in all my publications. I have information that there will be some innovation in this issue regarding the Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey. But I don’t leave my hopes. I don’t believe that Turkey will do it because it never betrayed Azerbaijan. There was no such case in the history”. Cansever said the Armenian issue was not related only to Azerbaijan. “The Armenian issue is the occupation of Karabakh, false “Armenian genocide” and territorial claims against Turkey”. In this regard, Turkey will lose in two issues. How will Turkey explain it to its people, to outs citizens? I don’t believe that Turkey will make step to please the Armenians”.

Head of “Dialogue Eurasia” organization Mustafa Saatci told APA that Turkish senior officials had not confirmed the reports that Turkey-Armenia borders would be reopened.
“Turkish President Abdullah Gul refuted the reports on the reopening of the borders. Prime Minister Erdogan said real steps will not be taken in the region in this direction, unless Nagorno Karabakh conflict is solved. I think if the situation contradicts these statements, it will be a historical mistake. It is not right to discuss such an issue, unless Nagorno Karabakh and other territories are released, Armenian genocide claims and territorial claims against Turkey are given up. It would be one of the most erroneous steps taken by AKP government,” he said.

Turkish businessman working in Azerbaijan, representative of Turkish Music Union for Azerbaijan Kamal Cenk Icten also has a low opinion of the issue on reopening of Turkey-Armenia borders. He told APA that it was impossible to forget the tragedies committed by Armenians against the entire Turkic world.
“We should not forget the actions committed by Armenians against Azerbaijan on Karabakh issue. I protest against the reopening of the borders and will never support this step. As a Turkish and Muslim I expressed my protest against this issue and continue to do it,” he said.

Chairman of Management Board of Cag Ogretim Ishletmeleri LLC Enver Ozeren said the company has been operating in Azerbaijan, teaching Azerbaijani children and informing the world of Azerbaijani truths with the help of the graduates for 17 years. The statement sent to APA by Ozeren on behalf of the staff, says that the company has been serving basing on the slogan “One nation, two states”.
“Reopening of Turkey-Armenia borders is inadmissible, if Turkey takes this step before the occupied Azerbaijani are released, it will certainly damage the relations between the two fraternal states. We live in Azerbaijan. We are together with Azerbaijani people. We felt pride that the people believed Azerbaijani state and Turkey will together restore the historical justice, the occupied territories will be liberated. But media reports that Turkey will reopen borders with Armenia cause serious concern. These efforts do not reflect the will of multinational peoples living in Turkey. Cag Ogretim company on behalf of teachers, students and parents of 11 lyceums, 1 gymnasium, 12 course of preparation for higher education and Gafgaz University calls on Turkey to preserve the objectivity demonstrated towards Armenia’s aggressive policy,” the statement says.

/APA/