Turkey keen on Azeri co-op to neutralize Russian influence

Azeri speaker champions deployment of Turkish troops in Azerbaijan in response to Turkey’s concerns over Russia’s leasing the Gabala radar station

Chairman of the Great National Assembly of Turkey Omar Izghi visited Baku last week to hold talks to build up Azeri-Turkish ties amid the peaking Azeri-Russian relations following President Aliyev’s recent visit to Moscow.

The Azeri President signed a number of important agreements on economic and commercial cooperation, as well as the key document on the leasing of the Gabala radar station to Russia. This agreement is of great regional importance, as the potent tracking station is capable of covering the whole southern hemisphere.

The three-day visit of the Turkish speaker was paid on the invitation of the Azeri party.

During the visit, the Turkish speaker expressed his country's concerns over Azerbaijan's leasing the Gabala radar station to Russia for a period of ten years.

"This does Turkey damage. With the station, Russia is a super power capable of keeping the track of developments in the region and in Turkey in particular", he said.

In a bid to ease the anxiety, Azeri speaker Alasgarov championed the stationing of Turkish military bases in Azerbaijan.

"The Gabala station was leased for economic gains and a similar agreement may be concluded with Turkey in prospect", the Azeri speaker said.

Allaying the concerns over the rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey, especially the lifting of visa restrictions, Mr. Izghi said "no warming could be in question as long as Azeri lands are under occupation".

Address

The Turkish speaker and his accompanying delegation did homage to the Cemetery of Martyrs Thursday and met with Turkish businessmen working in Azerbaijan at the Hyatt Regency Hotel of Baku.

Omar Izghi addressed the Azerbaijan parliament Friday. In his speech, the Turkish speaker thanked President Aliyev and his Azeri counterpart Murtuz Alasgarov for the invitation, saying that visiting Azerbaijan was one of his old dreams.

He said the protest the Azeri parliament had adopted on the recognition of t he French Senate of the concocted Armenian genocide was of great significance to Turkey. "The Turkish parliament is expected to mull the recognition of the Khojali genocide on its 10 anniversary on February 26", he said.

Reaffirming Turkey's permanent support for Azerbaijan's position in the settlement of the Garabagh conflict, the Turkish speaker reiterated the official Ankara's view on forging diplomatic relations with Armenia. "This is out of the question as long as Azeri territories are under occupation. Azerbaijan and Turkey should be vigilant, as there are many who want to sour our relations", he indicated.

Touching upon bilateral relations, the Turkish official said that Turkish businessmen have invested hundreds of million of dollars in Azerbaijan. On the significance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, O. Izghi said Turkey would always join projects implemented by Azerbaijan.

The Turkish speaker also met with the parliament group of Turkish-Azeri friendship.

Meetings

The Turkish speaker met with his Azeri counterpart Alasgarov, premier Rasizadeh and foreign minister Guliyev to explore ways to expand bilateral and regional cooperation.

Also in focus were interparliamentary contacts, democratic and legal reforms in both countries and the prospects of bilateral economic cooperation. In addition, agreement had been reached to expand ties in the parliamentary assemblies of the OSCE, Nato, and BSECO.

O. Izghi said that interparliamentary ties should be expanded not just between Azerbaijan and Turkey, but also among other Turkic nations. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have already agreed to this initiative, he stressed.

Speaker of the Great National Assembly of Turkey Omar Izghi got honorable doctorate of Baku State University on the last day of his visit Saturday.

The Turkish speaker saw the sights of Baku then and returned to Turkey Saturday night.

Appeal

The Society for Democratic Reforms (SDR) appealed to the Turkish speaker to provide a political and legal assessment to the Khojali genocide, the tragedy of the 20th century. The address was forwarded to the Turkish embassy Thursday.

A similar appeal was made by the SDR to the Turkish parliament.

In its address, the Society highly appreciates the visit by the Turkish speaker, hoping for its turning into a historic trip. The SDR asks the Turkish parliament to heed the Khogali carnage.

"This is the crime against not just the Azeri people and the Turkic world, but also the whole of mankind. We believe that Turkey, as the first country to recognize Azerbaijan's independence, will give the first political and legal assessment to the Khojali genocide", the address reads.