Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 14 / Trend M.Aliyev /
The Azerbaijani Diaspora has begun negotiations with the Turkish Diaspora to prevent opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders.
"We are negotiating with the Turkish Diaspora and other Diasporas functioning in Europe. The Turkish organizations are also protesting against disclose of the Turkish-Armenian borders. It is necessary to act with patience to avoid political problems," Chairman of the Benelux Azerbaijanis Congress Elsavar Mammadov told Trend on Oct.14.
Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocol in Zurich on Oct. 10.
Azerbaijani MPs, including Samad Seyidov, Nizami Jafarov, Ali Huseynov, Ganira Pashayeva, Mubariz Gurbanli, Fazil Gazanfaroglu, Akram Abdullayev, Gultakin Hajibeyli, Asef Hajiyev, Rovshan Rzayev and Fazail Agamali will hold several meetings in Ankara to discuss the situation.
Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia's claims to recognize so-called "Armenian genocide" and Armenia's 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 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
According to Mammadov, signing of the Turkey-Armenia protocols on establishment of relations does not mean opening of the border.
Chairman of the Congress of Georgian Azerbaijanis Ali Babayev told Trend that they held talks with regional representatives of the Turkish Parliament.
"During the negotiations, the Azerbaijani Diaspora expressed hope that Turkey will not leave the fraternal country in a difficult position. We have told them that the Turkish-Armenian borders should not be opened until the Nagorno-Karabakh problem resolved," Babayev said.
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