(AP) - Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul signaled Friday that his country would play a more active role in finding a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Turkey has long backed Azerbaijan and now wants the dispute to be settled as soon as possible in line with U.S. policy aimed at promoting stability in the region.
"We will discuss what we can do to remove obstacles, primarily the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, impeding stability in the southern Caucasus," Gul told reporters before his departure from Ankara.
Gul was scheduled to meet with Aliev, Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Deputy Premier Abid Sharifov and Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev. He will also meet with Azerbaijani and Turkish businessmen before traveling to Iran on Saturday.
Gul was expected to stress that Turkey wants a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He told reporters that the solution should include respect for territorial integrity.
Turkey officially maintains a trade embargo against Armenia and has said it will not lift it until Armenia resolves its dispute with Azerbaijan, but over the past few years Turkey and Armenia have expanded business contacts.
Asked on the plane on his way to Baku, whether Turkey was considering reopening its border with landlocked Armenia, Gul said: "There is no such thing for now."
Gul, however, signaled that resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict would lead to a normalization of ties between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey could benefit greatly from that, since easing conflict with its neighbors could strengthen its candidacy for the European Union.
"The resolution of the problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan in line with respect to territorial integrity would certainly have a positive effect on Turkish-Armenian relations," Gul said.
Turkey has long backed Azerbaijan and now wants the dispute to be settled as soon as possible in line with U.S. policy aimed at promoting stability in the region.
"We will discuss what we can do to remove obstacles, primarily the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, impeding stability in the southern Caucasus," Gul told reporters before his departure from Ankara.
Gul was scheduled to meet with Aliev, Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Deputy Premier Abid Sharifov and Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev. He will also meet with Azerbaijani and Turkish businessmen before traveling to Iran on Saturday.
Gul was expected to stress that Turkey wants a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He told reporters that the solution should include respect for territorial integrity.
Turkey officially maintains a trade embargo against Armenia and has said it will not lift it until Armenia resolves its dispute with Azerbaijan, but over the past few years Turkey and Armenia have expanded business contacts.
Asked on the plane on his way to Baku, whether Turkey was considering reopening its border with landlocked Armenia, Gul said: "There is no such thing for now."
Gul, however, signaled that resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict would lead to a normalization of ties between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey could benefit greatly from that, since easing conflict with its neighbors could strengthen its candidacy for the European Union.
"The resolution of the problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan in line with respect to territorial integrity would certainly have a positive effect on Turkish-Armenian relations," Gul said.