NEW YORK - Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Tuesday that the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform (CSCP) was not an alternative to any institution, mechanism or any international organization that deals with the problems of the Caucasus.
In an article he wrote for the International Herald Tribune, Babacan said that the CSCP is an additional platform to facilitate the communication between the countries of the region, a framework to develop stability, confidence and cooperation, a forum for dialog.
"The conflict between Russia and Georgia has once again demonstrated the volatile character of the Caucasus and why it is so crucial for the world to defuse tensions there," Babacan said.
"This conflict has affected all the countries of the region. Azerbaijan and Armenia, for example, were deprived of their main transport routes. It raised concerns about prominent infrastructure projects such as the railroad connection between Baku, Tbilisi and Kars the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, which promise to ensure the long-term energy and transport security of the region and Europe," Babacan said.
"As a neighbor to the conflict, Turkey has an enormous stake in overcoming the tension between Russia and Georgia. On behalf of the European Union, France has taken a very active role in arranging a cease-fire, and President Nicolas Sarkozy`s laudable efforts are fully supported by Turkey," Babacan said.
"We have to recognize and address the profound lack of confidence among the states of the region. The lack of confidence in the region creates a fertile environment for breeding instability, insecurity and war," Babacan said.
"The Caucasus countries need to develop a functional method of finding solutions to their problems from within," Babacan said.
"Turkey`s proposal is to bring the countries of the region together under the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform (CSCP). In the interest of building confidence among these nations, Turkey believes it is time to pursue a regional but comprehensive approach. The CSCP, in that context, provides an opportunity," Babacan said.
"In order to become a genuine honest broker in the region, Turkey has taken the initiative to create a favorable environment for the normalization of its bilateral relations with Armenia," Babacan said.
"During the visit to Yerevan, the Armenian and Turkish presidents extensively discussed the security situation in the Caucasus," Babacan noted.
"I also accompanied President Gul and had an opportunity to review the same topics in a more expanded fashion with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. No doubt, as long as we talk, none of the problems of the region could impose themselves on us as unsolvable," Babacan said.
"Turkey is a staunch advocate of the basic principles of international law such as independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states as well as peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialog," Babacan also said.
(SOL-AÖ)
(DIP)