President to visit Turkey

On February 12, President Aliyev received the Turkish ambassador Gadri Ecvet Tezcan, who congratulated the Azeri president on the occasion of Azerbaijan's acceptance to the Council of Europe and indicated that Azerbaijan had always been an inseparable part of Europe. The diplomat also expressed his president's and government's gratitude for the position Azerbaijan has displayed with regard to the concocted "Armenian genocide".

Mr. Tezcan suggested that Turkish and Azeri historians, as well as those of Georgia, Russia, Iran and other countries, meet in Istanbul or elsewhere in the near future to share their thoughts and researches to this effect. He added that such scientific studies could then be published internationally.

The ambassador forwarded to Heydar Aliyev the invitation of Turkish president Ahmed Necdet Sezer to visit Turkey. "Turkey misses you a lot", he said.

Mr. Tezcan also touched upon the issue of stepping up cooperation between Turkish and Azeri MPs in the wake of Azerbaijan's acceptance to the Council of Europe and suggested that the Azerbaijan delegation in the Council of Europe should visit Turkey to establish closer relations with Turkey's COE Parliamentary Assembly delegation.

"It is necessary to provide for suitable conditions for such joint work", the ambassador said.

He then said with some regret that both parliaments' commissions for international relations had not met for 4 years.

President Aliyev said, in turn, that the process of accession to the COE was very painstaking, but had been considerably facilitated by Turkish ambassador to the Council of Europe and Foreign Minister of Turkey Ismayil Cem. With regard to the genocide issue, H. Aliyev said it was extremely difficult to arrive at the truth of the matter.

"This issue has been raised without any genocide whatsoever and large countries have been seriously misled. This has happened to Azerbaijan too. There have been biased and prejudiced speculations that Azerbaijan allegedly doesn't deserve the Council of Europe… I have been repeatedly asking them to relinquish the double standards", he said.

The president reiterated that every time Armenians were raising the genocide issue in the past years, Azerbaijan was making official statements of protest. "This time too, when the process commenced in France, I officially announced that there was no genocide. It is injustice to Turkey and we protest to it", H. Aliyev said.

He then spoke of his futile endeavors to convince French President Jacques Chirac not to sign the Senate's decision, of the activities of Armenian lobby in different countries and the passive position of Turks, which has got to be admitted without a doubt.

The head of state then thanked the ambassador for the invitation to Turkey and said he would visit Ankara on March 12. He said he was going to discuss a number of issues there, including the "genocide", the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project, and Azeri gas transportation to Turkey.

"I am bound to say that certain circles of Turkey have not displayed a particular interest in the project", he said.

No documents to be signed in Turkey

Signing of any documents is not anticipated during President Aliyev's official visit to Turkey due on March 12, foreign minister Vilayat Guliyev told Azernews Tuesday, brushing off reports that the agreement on Azeri gas transportation to Turkey would be concluded.

Min. Guliyev said the parties would focus on feasibility of the project, issues relating to the construction of the Baku-Ceyhan MEP, solution of regional conflicts, bilateral and regional cooperation.