
Sunday, July 06, 2008

Turkish - Azerbaijani Relations in 2003

Turkey's relations with Azerbaijan has great importance with regard to principles of ''one nation, two states'' and ''friendship and indispensability''. Azerbaijan's location in Central Asia, Caucasia and Caspian region is a significant factor which increases this importance.

Despite some problems and difficulties, Azerbaijan has a leading position in transition to Western type democracy and market economy among former Soviet Republics. Although there is a continuous improvement in relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, this improvement is proceeding less rapidly than expected due to effect of Russia which does not want to lose its influence in the region.

Turkey was presented with the most crowded delegation including President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok, ministers, deputies and high-level officials in funeral of former Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev which was held on December 15. Russian President Vladimir Putin and an accompanying delegation was the second biggest delegation which attended the funeral.

Statements which were issued from Ankara and Baku in certain periods underlined that there was not any problem in relations between the two countries.

Armenian occupation in Upper Karabakh and nearly one million Azeri refugees who were forced to leave their homes in Upper Karabakh by Armenians, which are the biggest problem of Azerbaijan continued to be the biggest obstacle in front of political, economic and cultural cooperation in the region. Turkey continued to keep its borders with Armenia closed in order to make Armenia give up its occupying attitude.

Turkish Red Crescent carried on its aid to refugees whom it had been extending support since 1990. During Health Minister Recep Akdag's visit to Azerbaijan, Turkey provided refugees with comprehensive health examination. Disabled Children Rehabilitation Center which was restored by Turkey was opened in Mingacevir.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS

Turkish businessmen are ranked the first among businessmen who make investments in sectors excluding oil sector in Azerbaijan. Companies which were set up only by those Turkish businessmen or by partnership between Azerbaijani and Turkish businessmen have provided 30 thousand people with jobs.

Azerbaijan's foreign trade volume reached 4 billion 37 million U.S. dollars between January and October 2003. Turkey has 4.32 percent of share in exports and 7.68 percent of share in imports of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has around 3 percent of share in foreign trade volume of Turkey.

There was an expectation that some arrangements which were enacted in 2003 such as bringing facilities to setting up a company and Turkish citizens' being considered equal with Azerbaijani citizens in Azerbaijan and vice versa would further enliven economic relations between the two countries, and sides expect to take results of these arrangements in 2004. It is expected that ''a giant leap forward'' in economic relations between the countries will take place in 2005 when Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) pipeline that has a vital importance for this country will start to serve.

High taxation, ''improper charging'' and problems in highway transportation sector between the two countries were not solved in 2003, either. Turkish Airlines (THY) first started flights between Baku-Antalya-Baku by taking into account demands.

The seventh Turkish Exports Goods fair was held in Baku in September to further improve economic relations. Many Turkish and Azerbaijani companies joined the fair.

VISITS

There were many mutual visits between Ankara and Baku in 2003. As the leader of Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Recep Tayyip Erdogan also paid a visit to Baku with ministers when the former government was on the power.

Erdogan said that ''terrorist organization PKK/KADEK could do some activities under the guise of cultural works'' during his visit to Baku.

Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek visited separately Azerbaijan in 2003. During Cicek's visit to this country, justice ministries of the two countries signed a ''cooperation program''.

Both development of cooperation between relevant institutions and organizations and also improvement of bilateral relations were discussed during ministers' visit to this country.

Chief of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok, Land Forces Commander General Aytac Yalman and Gendarme General Commander General Sener Eruygur also visited Azerbaijan with which Turkey has military cooperation in 2003.

The view that ''besides Balkans and the Middle East, Caucasus could be a separate crisis center in new world order after the Cold War and that's why it has an importance to which priority should be given'' was focused on during high-level military officials' visit.

During high-level military officials' visits, Turkey's support to Azerbaijan was clearly put forth by statements emphasizing ''Azerbaijan's problem (Upper Karabakh) is also our problem. Turkey considers this problem a problem of itself. To this end, cooperation between the two countries should be developed further''.

There is exchange of university students between the two countries. It is estimated that the number of Turkish students who study at Azerbaijani universities is around 2 thousand.

Turkey and Azerbaijan held many activities and bilateral studies in order to further develop cultural and artistic relations. The 19th term meeting of the Joint Administration Of Turkic Culture and Art General Directorate (TURKSOY) culture ministers meeting and Literature Festival were among those activities.

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