U.S, Washington, Dec. 9 / Trend K.Pashayeva /
Trend conducted an exclusive interview with Turkish State Minister Egemen Bakish.
Trend : At what stage are the negotiations on Azerbaijani gas and its transit to Europe? Why have the negotiations dragged on and what are the requirements of both sides?
Bakish: I cannot say anything concrete about this issue. Azerbaijani and Turkish energy ministers are holding intense negotiations. We are watching them work. This issue is very important for Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Turkey has been given an important place in terms of EU energy security. Seventy percent of energy needed by Europe is located adjacent to Turkey, so we are the natural geographic bridge to Europe.
But Turkey is not only a bridge to bring new materials into new markets, it is also a natural barrier against illegal migration, terrorism, drug trafficking and smuggling. That is, Turkey in addressing some issues is a bridge, while in others - a shield. Moreover, Turkey is no less important for the EU, than the EU for Turkey.
Q: Iran says Turkey wants to acquire 50 percent of Iranian gas marketing and transport gas via Nabucco. How realistic is Iran's participation in the Nabucco project? Do you agree Nabucco is impossible without Iran's participation?
A: Nabucco is a commercial project with six partners. These partners will have to decide where to buy gas and where to transport the energy. Iran is a country with the largest deposits of natural gas. Nabucco shareholders will decide on the delivery of Iranian gas to European consumers. Iran's gas can be support for Nabucco. But even without the Iranian gas, Nabucco will be filled with gas from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and other countries in the region, as well as, for example, fields in northern Iraq.
Q: Addressing the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is very important for Turkey. Do you think it will be possible to solve the Kurdish problem within the framework of a "democratic solution?" Is there an interaction or joint project with the Iraqi administration on this issue?
A: The PKK terrorist organization and Turkey, as a nation, creates interaction against the organization together with all citizens, partners and friends. "A democratic solution" should be evaluated in the framework of national unity to unite us.
In Turkey, not only our Kurdish brothers have democratic problems. There is a need to improve the democratic rights of the Armenians, Alawis Sheets, women, children and workers. There is a scope for the democratic rights of these individuals. In Turkey we have started to improve the democratic rights of citizens, irrespective of their ethnic and religious origin. And we are resolute in this matter. But it is not directly related to the PKK. It is a different theme. One of them is connected with the fight against terror and the other to the improvement of citizens' rights.
In the fight against terror, we are interested in cooperation not only with Iraq but with all partners, neighbors, friends, as terrorism is not only the problem of Turkey. It is an international problem and all nations must fight it.
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