Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu stated in Gabalayum that Turkey is ready to do everything possible to stop the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia. He also noted that the liberation of the other occupied territories of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan continues to be the main direction of their foreign policy, and that will continue in the same way. Davutoğlu stressed that they are complaining against “20 percent of occupation of Azerbaijani lands, and the forced deportation of Azerbaijanis from their homes.”
In an interview with Aravot.am regarding the topic, the president of “Modus Vivendi” Center Ara Papyan said,- “The fact that Davutoğlu made these expressions is not strange, because keeping Armenia in possibly limited capacity has always been a priority for Turkey.
Turkey knows very well that any liberation of Armenia premises, will lead to the strengthening of Armenia. And talking about the occupation is wrong, because the occupation under international rights, is the occupation of the territory legally belonging to any country by armed forces of given country. Now we do not have territory legally belonging to Azerbaijan, because this territory has not been given to Azerbaijan by the law, it was given to the Azerbaijani administrative jurisdiction by the party decision of the Political Bureau. It is a territory of Armenia according to the National League, so the moment of the occupation has come out. Secondly, it cannot be the other component, occupation by a foreign army, because the army was composed of Karabakh people, and we, the Armenians, have helped, but we were support strength. Therefore, the expression that it has been a seizure of 20% by Armenia, it was an obvious manifestation of Turkish policy.”
As for the opinion expressed by Davutoğlu that it would be difficult to ensure peace and security in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, as long as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not resolved peacefully and within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, Papyan said,- “The fact that it would be difficult unless the conflict is not resolved, he is right, but not within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. I repeat again, there is no territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and there is no such concept in international rights, there is a violation of the territorial integrity by use of external force, or threat, and it is missing. And if Davutoğlu speaks of peace in the region, first they must expose RA territories to de-occupation, which they have kept occupied since September-November 1920. Then, let them give our territories back, then talk. I’m not even talking about Cyprus that 30 percent is captured. Whoever speaks, Turks have no reason to speak.”
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Eva HAKOBYAN
