Gül says ‘silent’ but ‘decisive’ diplomacy under way in Caucasus

“Let me say it frankly: I have assiduously worked on this issue since I became president because I believe the status quo in the Caucasus is not in the interests of Turkey, Azerbaijan or Armenia. If we keep problems frozen, they may re-emerge at any time,” Gül said in an interview with the private Azerbaijani APA news agency just two days ahead of his key visit to Azerbaijan.

Gül is expected to arrive in Baku on Sunday for a two-day visit to discuss bilateral ties and the deteriorating security situation in the South Caucasus. Both countries, linked to each other with historical, ethnic and cultural ties, have been at odds in the past two years as Turkey has made brave strides to bury a century of hostilities with its long foe Armenia at the expense of infuriating the Azerbaijanis. Remonstrance in Azerbaijan to Turkey’s historic and bold move to reconcile with the small South Caucasian country reached a peak when Turkey decided to sign twin protocols last year that also included opening the border with Armenia. Azerbaijan says its economic embargo of Armenia is deliberate, aiming to push the country to relinquish territories is has occupied for almost two decades.

Gül said his 2008 visit to Armenia indeed “dislodged deeply seated stones” in the region, but he lamented that the process had failed to move forward. The president said he will discuss this issue with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, during his visit to Baku. President Gül paid his first official visit to Azerbaijan in 2007 following a painstaking election process, a symbolic move by every Turkish president to reaffirm the strong commitment to ties with Azerbaijan. Asked if Russia’s growing military cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan may halt peace opportunities in the region, Gül dismissed Russia’s move as a threat to peace.

Russia on July 30 extended the lease of the 102nd Russian military unit in Armenia until 2049. Days later, Russian diplomatic sources leaked intelligence that Russia had sold two S-300 anti-aircraft missile batteries, priced at $300 million, to Azerbaijan, information denied by Moscow but not Azerbaijan.

He said he knows that the leadership of the three countries understands the status quo cannot continue and that he is hopeful that stability will take over in the Caucasus. Gül underlined that there were misunderstandings in Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan due to the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process and said that they have entered into a period of “silent but decisive diplomacy.” “I have faith in good processes,” Gül said.

The Turkish president said he took steps to abolish visa requirements with Azerbaijan back in 2007, when he was foreign minister, and said mutual efforts must be made on the issue.

Turkey unilaterally abolished visa requirements with Azerbaijan three years ago, making it easier for tourists to stay up to 30 days, a move interpreted by some as a harsher immigration law to prevent increased undocumented labor. Turkey and Azerbaijan are currently negotiating to reciprocally annul visa requirements but the two countries failed to sign the visa exemption protocol due to technical reasons emanating from the Azerbaijani side.

Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Gül also said the world cannot stare at the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia and noted UN Security Council resolutions to that end.

The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions in early 1994 to demand that Armenia immediately withdraw its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani provinces (rayons) adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite an expired cease-fire brokered by Russia in 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia constantly exchange fire along the fault lines.

Noting that it is important for Armenia to help solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to build normal relations with parties in the region, Gül said every side should contribute to the peace process. He also urged Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to support the process. He said he wanted to meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart before his and Aliyev’s trip to New York in a month to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting to both discuss bilateral affairs and ways to settle regional problems.