Parliament criticizes Turkish president's congratulation to Armenian counterpart
By Nigar Orujova
The Azerbaijani Parliament criticized on Friday Turkish president Abdullah Gul's congratulating his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan on his re-election as Armenian president.
The Turkish president congratulated the Armenian president after the latter scored a crushing victory in elections for a second five-year mandate, Turkish media reported on February 20.
Speaker Oqtay Asadov said at a plenary session of the parliament that there were opinions that the congratulations were made as a sign of courtesy.
"However, no matter how many signs of politeness may be expressed to Armenia, it uses this for other purposes," he noted. "The issue must not be aggravated and it is necessary to consider it from other perspectives."
Asadov has also commented on the position of a number of international organizations that have stated about the democratic presidential elections in Armenia.
"One must be more careful and cautious, as international organizations evaluate them as fair and democratic while there are no final results of the elections in Armenia," he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Mubariz Gurbanli voiced his disappointment in connection with the congratulation on the results of rigged elections in Armenia.
"One can understand the Russian President's congratulations, rather than that of the Turkish President," Gurbanli said.
Earlier other Azerbaijani MPs have criticized Turkish congratulation.
MP Nizami Jafarov said Abdullah Gul's congratulation was a hasty decision.
"I think that it was a hasty decision," Jafarov said on Thursday. "Of course, we cannot interfere in Turkey's internal affairs. Also, in terms of what is best for Azerbaijan, Gul could congratulate Sargsyan later or not congratulate him at all."
"We can neither protest against this congratulation nor accept it," Jafarov added. "Turkey has made such gestures towards Armenia before. Of course, Turkey is a large country. In this sense, certain gestures were intended to help normalize relations with Armenia, and perhaps to persuade Armenians to fall silent on the 'genocide' question".
However, MP Fazail Aghamali believes that Turkey attention towards Armenia will not stop Armenian territorial claims and the issue of the so-called "genocide".
According to Aghamali, Armenia is a terrorist state that does not recognize Turkey and has constant territorial claims against the country. Thus, Turkey should respond adequately.
Aghamali believes this move will not damage relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
"I would not like the Armenian factor to negatively impact relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, as we have already experienced turbulence during the signing of the Zurich protocols. However, those talks yielded no results because Armenia's intentions are different, and it has not given up its territorial claims against Turkey. Thus, I would not like any tensions in our relations with Turkey. Such issues are not in the national interest of either Azerbaijan, or Turkey," Aghamali noted.
According MP Zahid Oruj, Turkish president wanted to make a ceremonial gesture in line with European culture and civilized relations.
"It is easy to calculate Turkish President's aims in congratulating Sargsyan on his re-election. However, by what means? We do not want in any way to impose any moral obligations on Turkish President. Perhaps the political and tactical plans of the brotherly state sometimes require irrational steps," Oruj said.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and the border between the countries has been closed since 1993 due to Armenian claims for international recognition of the so-called "genocide" and occupation of Azerbaijani territories.
Presidential elections were held in Armenia on Feb.18. Incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan won the presidential elections gaining 58.64 percent of the overall votes.
The First Foreign Minister of Armenia Raffi Hovannisian ranked second winning 36.75 percent, while former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan ranked third after receiving 2.15 percent of the vote.