Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.26 / Trend, T.Hajiyev /
Azerbaijani Deputy Speaker believes that Turkey will not create conditions for opening the border with Armenia.
"I think that the Turkish Government can once more resist international pressure and will not create conditions for opening the border with Armenia pursuing in the region the policy, which meets Turkey and Azerbaijan's interests," Parliamentary Vice-Speaker Bahar Muradova in an interview to the ruling party's website.
Earlier, media reported that Turkey may temporarily open the border on Sept. 11- 17 as part of the NATO military exercises in Armenia. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu denied the rumors.
Muradova said NATO can transport these equipments to Armenia using another direction.
"The pressure on Turkey is an attempt to use these measures for temporary opening of the border, which will further allow demanding from Turkey permanent opening. But I think that the Turkish and Azerbaijani publics are right to be against of this project. It's necessary to hold this position till the end. The trainings being held in Armenia are humanitarian, so there is no necessity to transport equipment there just via Turkey," Muradova said.
Turkey's position should be an example for other countries, she said.
"Turkey is the only NATO member, who expressed protest against violation of international principles, occupation of one country's territories by another country, pursuing ethnic cleansing policy, and closed the border with the occupier- Armenia. Such attitude towards aggressor is an example for other countries in similar issues. Instead, Turkey is subjected to international pressure," Muradova said.
According to her, some international circles want to punish Turkey for its position.
"The punishment is a demand to open the border, an attempt to induce Turkey to it. Opening of the Turkish border within the NATO trainings is nothing more than an attempt to force Turkey to open the border temporarily, and then turn it into a recurring event," Muradova said.
Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey were severed in 1993 due to Armenia's claims of an alleged genocide and its occupation of Azerbaijani lands.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the United States - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.