Dr. Akkan Suver: "We have high-level cooperation with Azerbaijan"

"We will organize the 10th Eurasian Economic Summit in Istanbul. Ex-president Ion Iliescu will represent Romania at the meeting," Dr. Akkan Suver, president of Marmara Group told the APA.

He said that he had meetings with former Foreign Minister, deputy chief of Senate Teodor Melescanu, ex-presidents of Romania Ion Iliescu and Emil Konstantinesku.

"We have partnership relations with Black Sea University Foundation. We are working on economic, social projects to be implemented jointly with our Romanian partners. One of these projects is called "Happiness of seven seas". You know that we had projects covering five seas – Mediterranean, Caspian, Aegean, Marmara and Black seas, Romania included two more seas. We will continue negotiations during the Eurasian Economic Summit. We also discussed construction of a mosque in Bucharest and Romanian church in Istanbul," he said.

Akkan Suver said that there are no serious activities concerning Black sea region.

"Cooperation with Black Sea University Foundation will be the first step in the sphere. Cooperation with Azerbaijan is of my first proposals. Turkey should be everywhere wherever Azerbaijan is. Turkey and Azerbaijan plan to hold joint activities on the theme of women with Georgia. I consider that we can organize a lot of activities in the framework of Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. Besides, Black Sea NGO movement can be a splendid format. Our Bucharest visit created new opportunities for this. Turkey and Azerbaijan can realize joint activities in economic, cultural and social spheres," he said.

Mr.Suver also commented on the Marmara Group's implementing projects with Armenia.

"We put forward the initiative for clarifying Armenian Diaspora’s claims on Armenian genocide and propagandizing facts of occupation of Azerbaijan's region Karabakh. "On this purpose we organized a group of Turkish MPs, businessmen, scientific and culture figures, lawyers and journalist women. Armenian side took the same step. Azerbaijan Committee on Women Problems, late Zahra Guliyeva organized another group. But Armenians delayed the meeting. We invited them to Turkey where a debate on women contribution to peace was held. Then debates in the peaceful atmosphere were held in Istanbul and Yerevan. Then Austria's Bruno Krayski Fund offered its contribution in the organization of meetings and we accepted them. The next meeting was to b held in Vienna but in the end Armenian party rejected to participate. Most probably it was Armenian Diaspora's work". Akkan Suver emphasized Azerbaijan cooperates with Marmara Group very actively."

Azerbaijan – Turkey Businessmen Association conferred "Gizil Charkh" award on US and Turkey former presidents Bill Klinton and Suleyman Damirel, Azerbaijan and Georgia' presidents Ilham Aliyev and Mikhail Saakashvili and Turkey Prime Minister Rajab Tayyib Ardoghangor their contribution to the construction of Baku- Tbilisi- Ceyhan pipeline. On April 17, a meeting on this occasion is to be held. I am pleased to say that this award was conferred on Azerbaijan–American Trade Chamber and Turkey's Marmara Group too.

Our organization is a member of World Azerbaijanis Forum and has good relations with State Committee for Religious Committees. Ataturk Baku Centre published two my books. As you know Heydar Aliyev was honorary chairman of Marmara Group. When he died we offered this post to Ilham Aliyev .We were very glad he accepted to hold this post. We will continue to develop our special relations with Azerbaijan.