“The normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia before the withdrawal of Armenian forces from occupied Azerbaijani territory is in direct contradiction with the interests of Azerbaijan and casts a shadow over the spirit of brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, built on deep historical roots,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.
Only hours before the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers were due to sign the protocols at a ceremony held in Zurich late on Saturday to establish diplomatic relations and open their sealed border, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters his country was showing “goodwill” to restore ties with Armenia. But he said Turkey was keen on seeing Armenian troops withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-occupied enclave in Azerbaijan that has been a center of regional tension. “We are trying to boost our relations with Armenia in a way that will cause no hard feelings for Azerbaijan,” Erdoğan told reporters.
Turkey closed the frontier with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with fellow Muslim country Azerbaijan, then at war with Armenian-backed ethnic Armenians in the breakaway mountain region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“As we have repeatedly noted, the definition of relations of one state with others is the sovereign right of the state. However, normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia before the withdrawal of Armenian forces from occupied Azerbaijani territory is in direct contradiction with the interests of Azerbaijan. ... Taking into account the importance of opening all borders and communications in the region, Azerbaijan believes that the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border unilaterally calls into question the structure of peace and stability in the region,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
The statement also recalled remarks by Erdoğan delivered in the Azerbaijani parliament in May.
“Turkey closed its border with Armenia after its occupation of Azerbaijani lands. The boundaries can be opened after the removal of the occupation. As long as the requirements of our Azerbaijani brothers are not satisfied, we will not retreat from this position one step. It is interconnected and cannot be considered separately,” the statement quoted Erdoğan saying at the time.
