Leader of the National-Democratic party, Ex-Minister of Defense Iskander Hamidov, recently released from jail, said Monday that he possessed audio- and video materials proving that negotiations concerning opening of the borders had been held between the representatives of Turkish and Armenian Parliaments. According to him, the negotiations are taking place “in one of the Western countries”. Turkey, as if, is represented by the MP Yashar Nuri Oztyurk, and Armenia – by one of the vice-speakers of the National Assembly. Hamidov threatened to publicize the materials if the Turkish authorities were going to deny the fact of having negotiated with Armenians.
While making this sensational statement the ex-minister did not take into account an important fact: it is very easy to prove that both vice-speakers of the Armenian Parliament did not leave the territory of Yerevan during the last two weeks. Armenia does not negotiate with Turkey on the issue of opening the borders. Removal of Turkey’s blockade of Armenia is subject for a dialogue between Ankara and Brussels and not with Yerevan. We shall remind that the normalization of the relations with Armenia is one of the main conditions for Turkey’s membership in the EU. If Erdoghan is really going to open the border, it is not the result of the compromises between Turks and Armenians but the consequence of EU pressures. In such situation no concessions can be made by Armenia as Brussels are the negotiating party.
But neither Hamidov nor the Azeri officials try to understand these details. Their objective is to draw attention on the issue of the removal of Armenia’s blockade and, by forming a negative public opinion, to make pressure on Turkish leaders in order to make them give up their intention. To achieve the given objective, the Azerbaijani authorities have started to make provocations. Ilham Aliyev said two weeks ago that if Turkey opened the borders, it would not be possible to settle the Karabakh problem.
In short, the atmosphere on the eve of Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Turkey was not very friendly. “Zerkalo” urges to “take off the rose-colored glasses” while analyzing the relations with Turkey. The newspaper states that “the official Baku knowingly tenses up the relations with Erdoghan’s government”. The conclusion of the journalist is simple: “The diplomatic measures of problem’s settlement did not have effect. Opening of the borders with Armenia is already decided – there are only some formalities to be completed. No need to delude ourselves and think that for Azerbaijan’s sake Turkey will renounce its membership in the EU”…
