Turkish PM leaves for Azerbaijan to allay concerns over Armenia ties

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

refid:11635581 ilişkili resim dosyası

The visit is aimed at "eradicating misunderstandings and misperceptions" over Turkey's policies, Erdogan told reporters before his departure, pledging that Azeri interests remained a priority for Ankara. 

"Nobody should have the slightest doubt that Turkey will continue to defend Azerbaijan’s interests as it has done so far," he said. "Our relations are strong and based on a culture of fraternity."

Erdogan, accompanied by several ministers, including Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, is scheduled to meet with President Ilham Aliyev and address the Azeri parliament Wednesday.

Ankara cut diplomatic links with Yerevan and closed the border in a show of support to Azerbaijan in 1993 after 20 percent of its territory was invaded by Armenia in the disputed region -- a frozen conflict legacy of the Soviet Union known as Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey and Armenia, however, agreed last month on a "road map" deal for U.S.-backed talks that could lead to the normalizing of ties and the opening of their border.

The Ankara-Yerevan thaw has reportedly disturbed Azerbaijan, which says opening the border before the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the country’s occupied territories would run counter to its national interests. Some media reports have suggested that Azerbaijan, a supplier of oil and gas to Europe, might even halt the sale of natural gas to Turkey.

After his visit to Baku, Erdogan will fly to Russia to meet with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi Saturday.

Russia, which has been mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, is reportedly pushing for a summit between Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in June aimed at moving to formally end the conflict.