Turkey: Azerbaijani-Turkish deal not against any country

Speaking about the recent strategic partnership between Russia and Armenia and its possible implication to the Turkish-Azerbaijani partnership, Davutoğlu said the scope of the Turkish-Azerbaijani strategic partnership agreement is very broad and an advanced form of previous signed treaties. He said the treaty includes military cooperation, considering the needs of both countries and that it will be more comprehensive in the future. “We will realize cooperation in military areas.

There will also be defense activities in other areas related to joint military cooperation. But let me note that this agreement is not directed against any country. We signed it and then Russia and Armenia signed [their agreement]. The entire world knows that Turkey considers the defense of Azerbaijan as Turkey’s defense,” Davutoğlu said. “It is a sign of our everlasting friendship with Azerbaijan,” he added.

Russia struck a significant strategic partnership deal with Armenia on Aug. 20, just weeks later it agreed with the Caucasian country to extend the lease of 102nd Russian military base in Armenia until 2040s. In what appeared to be a pre-emptive move, Turkish President Abdullah Gül, just days before Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, reiterated Turkey’s solidarity with Azerbaijan by signing a similar treaty with the oil-rich Muslim nation.

Turkey and Azerbaijan concluded a Strategic Partnership and Mutual Assistance deal on Aug. 16 during Gül’s two-day visit to Azerbaijan. The agreement also includes comprehensive military cooperation between the two countries.

Noting recent diplomatic exchanges between Russia and Turkey, Davutoğlu said the two countries openly discussed the situation in the Caucasus, particularly the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. “To achieve order in the Caucasus, then the withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani lands is key.

This is not only our opinion, but also the opinion of international law,” he said. Davutoğlu also ruled out any malicious interest by Russia in the region and said have good will with their Russian counterparts. “We would state our position if there was anything we didn’t like, as we did during the August 2008 conflict with Georgia,” Davutoğlu said.

He said they want to restore relations both with Armenia and between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “We want a solution through peaceful, diplomatic means, not military,” Davutoğlu noted.

Davutoğlu also said occupying lands does not bring wealth and pointed to the fact that Armenia is getting poorer day-by-day and its citizens are leaving their country. “I am proud of Azerbaijan. There is a rapid growth in Azerbaijan, it is getting richer,” he said.

Commenting on concerns among the Azerbaijani public that Turkey will open its borders with Armenia during NATO exercises, Davutoğlu said those escalating these concerns are not on the right track. “There is no ground for concern. Before all, this training is not a military exercise -- it is all about what should be done during an earthquake. As far as I know, Azerbaijan has also joined this too. Turkey’s participation is related to field hospitals. Because we are a NATO member. As you know, we have also sent these field hospitals to Pakistan.

Our approach is humanistic in this regard. But there is nothing on agenda with respect to the opening of borders, this is not an issue of debate,” Davutoğlu said.

Davutoğlu also said on Thursday in Konya that Turkey will not open its borders with Armenia temporarily during an upcoming NATO exercise. Ankara previously had said it might open the border with Armenia as it is planning to participate in a disaster response exercise called “Armenia 2010” organized by NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center (EADRCC) on Sept. 11-17.

Relations with Turkic countries

Noting that Turkey has abolished visa requirements with Turkic countries, Davutoğlu said Turkey continues to pursue a pro-active foreign policy with its neighbors.

Turkey was successful in contributing to a peaceful environment between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina because Turkey aims for peace and order in the Balkans. The Turkish foreign minister said they facilitated peace among different Iraqi sectarian groups in 2005 and Turkey still continues similar efforts in Iraq and Lebanon. Davutoğlu pointed to Turkey’s Iraq policy as a reason for Turkey’s growing influence in the Middle East. Similarly, Davutoğlu said, Turkey, together with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan established the Turkic-Speaking Countries Cooperation Council last year, which will convene on Sept. 15-17. Davutoğlu also pointed to the fact that Turkey was one of the first countries that rushed to assist Kyrgyzstan during its political turmoil and said he was the only during Kyrgyz leader Rosa Otunbayeva’s swearing-in ceremony. “And I am very proud of it,” he said.

Davutoğlu said leaders of Turkic countries will meet once every year and there is a need to meet regularly, including informally such as the recent Bodrum talks with the foreign ministers of Turkic countries. “Our first goal is to get closer and solve our problems. Our second goal is to lay the foundations of our joint strategy,” the foreign minister noted.

Davutoğlu said the Council must discuss joint transportation routes that would connect distant areas to boost trade and cooperation. In addition, he said the Council should also deal with issues of energy transportation and cultural affairs. The Council, Davutoğlu said, will discuss the joint implementation of bilateral and multilateral projects, civil society development and the establishment of a strategic framework that would facilitate travel by businessmen and scholars.