Baku, Azerbaijan, May 13
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
Azerbaijan won't sign an association agreement with the European Union, deputy speaker of Azerbaijani parliament said.
Valeh Alasgarov, deputy speaker of Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (parliament) made the remarks during the hearings on the campaigns to discredit Azerbaijan and attempts to undermine the country's image on the international arena on the eve of the First European Games.
Alasgarov said that Turkey has been a member of the Council of Europe since the creation of this structure.
"The brother state signed an association agreement with EU in September 1963. This document entered into force in 1965."
He added that 40 years later, in 2005, talks on this issue started again. "During that period, a Christian country lagging behind Turkey on many parameters was accepted to EU."
He added that Turkey is a welcome partner of NATO because of the security issues there.
"When coming to the cooperation with EU, Turkey becomes unsuitable here," he said. "The reason is that the country's population consists of Turks and Muslims. There is no other reason."
The deputy speaker added that as for Azerbaijan, there are other reasons.
"Some say that Azerbaijan doesn't want to sign an association agreement with EU. It is true," he said. "From the very beginning, Azerbaijan demanded the restoration of its territorial integrity and only after this to lay the foundation of the agreement."
"However, they do not go for it," said Alasgarov. "Therefore, Azerbaijan won't sign this agreement."
Edited by CN