The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Turkey Mamed Aliyev confirmed recently that the Turkish citizens speaking in support of economic cooperation with Armenia were being punished. He said while speaking with journalists that “the Turkish authorities take all the necessary measures towards those persons.” According to him, the “authorities of several eastern regions of the country have already been dismissed because of the attempts to set business contacts with Armenia.” The diplomat assured that the Embassy of Azerbaijan in its turn undertakes the necessary steps aimed at neutralization of the attempts to set a dialogue between Ankara and Yerevan. The Ambassador as especially irritated with the fact that “some Azeris living on the Turkish territory bordering with Armenia are speaking in support of economic cooperation with Armenia.” President of Azerbaijan is also aware of this. During his recent visit to Kars Heydar Aliyev said that “Azeris living in Kars region often visit Armenia for their mercantile interests.”
The Azerbaijani Ambassador confirmed the information that in the regions of Kars and Igdir some forces continue to carry out propaganda in support of opening the Armenian-Turkish borders and establishment of relations between the two countries. And the self government bodies are aware and indirectly even encourage them. Despite all this, the Ambassador believes that there is no need to worry, as “the official Ankara maintains its principal position in this issue and the cooperation with Armenia is out of question”.
Meanwhile, another Azerbaijani diplomat, former Consul of Azerbaijan in Turkey Abas Abdula has a point of view different from the one mentioned above. He is sure that the Turks have to open the border with Armenia. This was informed by the «525th» newspaper issued in Baku. The Baku press recently attaches great importance to this issue. One of the leading newspapers has published an interview with the co-chairman of the Armenian-Turkish commission on economic cooperation, Kayan Soyak.. The businessman has noted that Ankara and Yerevan can establish normal economic relations, and Azerbaijan can join them and speed up this process.
Despite the repressions towards those who dare to speak in support of a dialogue with Armenia, lots of Turkish citizens are against the transport and economic blockade carried out by Ankara. Kayan Soyak is not alone in his initiative. The Mayor of Kars Naif Alibeyoghlu, President of the Union of Stock Exchanges Rfat Khisakhjokhlu, Head of the Trade-Industrial Chamber of Igdir Tayar Oral, Member of the National Security Council Hasan Koni, Parliament deputy Gyunul Saray and many others have already stated that there is no sense to continue the blockade. The direct and indirect pressure towards those persons proves the agony of the ideology of today’s authorities refusing any cooperation with Armenia. There are all the bases to think that the extraordinary elections to be held in October will reveal new leaders who are able more soberly to evaluate the reality.
