Davutoğlu: Ankara’s position on Karabakh unwavering

At a joint press conference following his talks with visiting Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, Davutoğlu was reminded that authorities in Azerbaijan recently took down Turkish flags situated around monuments commemorating Turkish soldiers. Azerbaijan and Turkish flags are equally sacred for both Turkish government officials and the people of Turkey, Davutoğlu said, noting that the liberation of Azerbaijan territories from occupation is a fundamental national cause for Turkey.

“First of all, our position will continue [to be] like this. Using an old Turkish expression, Turkey's position won't change even if the sky falls down to earth. This is a matter of principles,” Davutoğlu said.

Last week, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev expressed dissatisfaction with Turkey's terms for natural gas trade, suggesting that his energy-rich Caspian Sea country could seek other avenues for exports. Aliyev's remarks suggested that Azerbaijan's dismay over Turkey's efforts to reconcile with foe Armenia could hurt Western hopes of reducing the European Union's reliance on Russia for gas.

Azerbaijan has criticized Turkey for reaching a deal last weekend that foresees establishing diplomatic ties with Armenia and for opening their shared border, saying there should be no reconciliation until the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh -- an area in Azerbaijan that has been held by Armenians since a war in the early 1990s -- is settled. Azerbaijan fears the deal with Turkey will discourage Armenia from giving ground in the dispute.

Aliyev did not mention the Turkish-Armenian agreement, but his remarks displayed dissatisfaction with his country's traditional ally.

Only a day before Aliyev's remarks, Turkish flags around the monument of 1,130 Turkish soldiers who died while fighting for Azerbaijan's independence in 1918 were taken down by the mayor of Baku's Sabayıl district on Thursday. Azerbaijani authorities, however, dismissed the notion that the act was part of a campaign; rather, it was done due to a law on the flags of foreign countries and international organizations.

“Our martyrs who died for the independence of Azerbaijan on Azerbaijani lands and who came from all corners of Anatolia and the Balkans, the Middle East and Aleppo, which are not within our borders now, our flag under the shadow of which our martyrs are sleeping now and our martyrdom mosque where prayers are said for our martyrs have been -- before everything else -- entrusted to the dignity and honor of the Azerbaijani people. We expect that respect will be shown to this honor; we're sure that it will be shown. We have no doubt about this,” Davutoğlu said in remarks clearly reflecting his disappointment over the official implementation regarding the Turkish cemetery.

“What we have been told is that this is a temporary arrangement as a result of restoration of the area. This [cemetery] is common heritage for us [Turks and Azerbaijanis],” he added. “We have full confidence in the Azerbaijani people. We know their fondness of Turkey. We will never let efforts of sowing discord between Turkey and Azerbaijan succeed.”

Davutoğlu said he is confident that the best answer to such efforts -- despite assurances that have been constantly given to Azerbaijan on every ground by President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and himself -- will be given by “Azerbaijani siblings and kinsmen with whom we have shared joint destiny and history.”

“For Turkey, a policy change on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute that could result in speculation is out of the question,” the minister said, underlining once more the importance he attaches to Turkey being perceived from the right angle by the people of Azerbaijan.

In regards to Aliyev's dissatisfaction with Turkey's terms for natural gas trade, Davutoğlu briefly said negotiations between parties on the issue have still been going on, noting that it was not only an issue for Azerbaijan and Turkey but was rather an issue for the international consortium.

The minister avoided giving a clear answer when asked whether he would attend a foreign ministerial level meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), which will be held in Baku on Thursday.