Turkey`s key politician warns against forging ties with Armenia
Turkey`s main opposition leader has said the country`s government
should not upset Azerbaijan by forging ties with Armenia.
Deniz Baykal, who chairs Turkey`s Republican People`s Party (CHP), was commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s Wednesday visit to Azerbaijan.
He said Armenia is failing to both relinquish its "genocide" claims against Turkey and to pull out of occupied Azerbaijani territories.
Nonetheless, Ankara is willing to take new steps, Baykal said. The Turkish government wants President Abdullah Gul to accept the Armenian leadership`s invitation to attend a football match between the two countries` teams in Yerevan. Erdogan, therefore, visited Azerbaijan in an effort to get Baku`s consent for this, he said.
"Erdogan is trying to get Azerbaijan`s acceptance of Gul`s visit to Armenia and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border. However, Azerbaijan is a friendly country to us and we should not frustrate it. In striking new agreements with Armenia, we should not upset Azerbaijan in any way."
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian recently invited President Gul to attend a World Cup qualifying match in Yerevan on September 6, in a bid to break the ice in Armenia`s relations with Turkey.
Deniz Baykal, who chairs Turkey`s Republican People`s Party (CHP), was commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s Wednesday visit to Azerbaijan.
He said Armenia is failing to both relinquish its "genocide" claims against Turkey and to pull out of occupied Azerbaijani territories.
Nonetheless, Ankara is willing to take new steps, Baykal said. The Turkish government wants President Abdullah Gul to accept the Armenian leadership`s invitation to attend a football match between the two countries` teams in Yerevan. Erdogan, therefore, visited Azerbaijan in an effort to get Baku`s consent for this, he said.
"Erdogan is trying to get Azerbaijan`s acceptance of Gul`s visit to Armenia and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border. However, Azerbaijan is a friendly country to us and we should not frustrate it. In striking new agreements with Armenia, we should not upset Azerbaijan in any way."
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian recently invited President Gul to attend a World Cup qualifying match in Yerevan on September 6, in a bid to break the ice in Armenia`s relations with Turkey.
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