Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 9 / Trend, M. Aliyev /
The collection of signatures for a petition for the opening the Turkish-Armenian border is nothing but an excuse, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan party, MP Mubariz Gurbanli said in an interview with the official website of the ruling party today.
"Armenia faces a very difficult socio-economic situation", he said. "Therefore, the Armenian lobby is trying by any means to open the Turkish-Armenian border. It is looking to revive the Armenian aggressor. A signature collection campaign on the opening the borders for Syrian refugees conducted on the U.S White House's website is nothing but a pretext for the implementation of these goals."
He added that if the agenda includes the arrival of Syrian Armenians in Armenia, this can be done not only through Turkey, but also through other ways.
"The real nature of these initiatives is to achieve a temporary opening of the border with Turkey under the pretext of the settlement of Syrian Armenians in Armenia", he said. "One can expect subsequent pressure on Turkey for the permanent opening the border with aggressive Armenia to save its economy. Armenian circles in the U.S., the international Armenian lobby and other forces that support the aggressor country stand for the collection of signatures conducted on the White House's website in Washington."
The border between Armenia and Turkey cannot be opened, MP said.
"On the other hand, if the Armenian lobby in the U.S is trying to take Syrian Armenians out of Turkey, it is not necessary to carry out this process through Turkey," MP said. "It is clear that there is another purpose. Opening the Turkish-Armenian border in the current conditions will be regarded as support for the aggressor."
The signature collection process started on the White House's website on Jan. 5. An appeal was voiced for Turkey to open the border with Armenia, at least for Syrian refugees, without any preconditions.
The appeal can be considered in the higher instances if 25,000 signatures are collected till Feb. 4.
Yerevan's calls for the recognition of the "Armenian genocide" by the international community and the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenian armed forces are the reasons for broken relations between Turkey and Armenia as well as the 1993 closure of their border.