Summit Meeting Among Turkey, Azerbaijan And Georgia

TRABZON (A.A) - 29.04.2002 - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Monday, ''the first priority and requirement of three countries participating in the summit meeting in Trabzon, are settlement and protection of peace and stability.''
SEZER: FIRST PRIORITY AND REQUIREMENT OF THREE COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN SUMMIT MEETING IN TRABZON ARE SETTLEMENT AND PROTECTION OF PEACE AND STABILITY
Speaking at opening of the tripartite summit meeting in Trabzon among presidents of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia, President Sezer noted, ''we thought that it would be beneficial to hold summit meetings once in a year among presidents of three neighboring and friendly countries in the Caucasus region. Such meetings will strengthen our solidarity and cooperation, bring forth a new dimension into our joint efforts for welfare and peace of our peoples, and make an important contribution to peace and stability in the whole region. As a result of collapse of walls at the end of the Cold War, Azerbaijan and Georgia have taken their deserved places in the international community as independent and sovereign states.''
''These developments have added a new dimension to Turkey's foreign policy about the Caucasus and Central Asia, and led to well-understanding of relations among Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan in regard to stability in the whole region of Eurasia. The first priority and requirement of three countries participating in the summit meeting in Trabzon, are settlement and protection of peace and stability. This summit meeting aims at creating a new solidarity and cooperation to strengthen bilateral relations between countries taking place in the same region and having similar values and expectations,'' he said.
Noting that issues which were high on agenda of bilateral relations among Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia would be taken up at the summit meeting, President Sezer said, ''transportation corridors envisaged to be established in the east-west route, oil and natural gas pipelines projects, communication projects, issues about protection of these projects, cooperation in fight against terrorism under the light of new conditions in the world and in our region in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001 will be discussed at our tripartite summit meeting. Tomorrow, interior ministers will sign an agreement envisaging cooperation in fight against terrorism, organized crimes and other important crimes among Turkish, Azerbaijani and Georgian governments.''
President Sezer emphasized, ''power union among countries has become a pre-condition to provide economic revival and joint prosperity. When we assess this approach pointing to dependence relation among the societies in Southern Caucasus, we see that interest of the energy sector which is the driving force of the economic globalization, has concentrated in Caspian Basin, and that our region has taken its place in the world energy map with Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. While fact of economic globalization has become determining in relations among countries in this period, terrorist attacks of September 11 targeting innocent civilians have casted a shadow on democratic societies. The fact that international terrorism networks have taken shelters in the region surrounding our geography, entailed us to take deterrent and influential steps within framework of joint initiatives.''
''The Caucasus region has problems that could affect not only regional countries, but also whole Eurasia region. These long-standing problems have been hampering our efforts to develop regional cooperation, restricting efforts of regional countries to integrate with the world, and preventing efforts to increase economic and social prosperity of regional nations. In order to find peaceful solutions to these problems as soon as possible and to settle stability, all regional countries should respect to territorial integrity and sovereignty of each other,'' he added.
ALIYEV: AZERBAIJAN TAKES PART IN ALL FIGHTS THAT ARE CARRIED OUT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev said on Monday that Azerbaijan took part in all fights that were carried out against international terrorism.
Addressing the summit, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan signed all important international agreements that were adopted to fight with international terrorism, organized crime groups, drug trafficking, smuggling of psychotropic drugs, weapons and human smuggling. Aliyev said that Azerbaijan was in affective cooperation with international and regional institutions in fight with these crimes.
Aliyev said that one of the main conditions of political stability and economic development in the region is installation of regional security, adding that ''this is only possible by the peaceful solution of the existing conflicts in the region, installation of regional security and by having multidimensional cooperation.''
Referring to the Upper Karabakh problem with Armenia, Aliyev said that ''the Upper Karabakh problem is one of the main factors that affect instability in the region.''
''If the Southern Caucasus didn't turn to area of conflicts, a different view would be seen today,'' said Aliyev and noted that the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani terrotiories, violation of Georgia's territorial integrity, and other problems in the region limited the cooperation opportunities based on mutual benefits and rapid economic development.
Aliyev said that they put into practice international economic projects despite the negative developments in the region, adding that ''we must form a new security system by our common initiatives. Cooperation carries great importance to set up the safety of energy and communication corridors.''
Aliyev added that the realization of Azeri main production oil to western markets, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline projects were the concrete result of common efforts launched for east-west energy corridor.
SHEVARDNADZE: DISPUTES IN CAUCASUS SHOULD BE SOLVED PEACEFULLY
President Eduard Shevardnadze of Georgia said on Monday that problems in the Caucasus should be solved through dialogue and in a peaceful manner.
President Shevardnadze said, ''Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Southern Caucasus pipeline project are the best evidences of understanding and cooperation among Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia.''
Underlining importance of transportation and security of energy in the Caspian Basin, one of the richest energy resources of the world, President Shevardnadze said, ''therefore, our efforts to make the Caucasus a region of peace and stability are natural. It is necessary to set up dialogue to provide a prosperous atmosphere in the Caucasus. All disputes in the region should be solved peacefully.''
Recalling that an important cooperation agreement would be signed by interior ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia tomorrow, Shevardnadze said that the agreement did not target any other country.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Shevardnadze of Georgia will hold bilateral talks after tripartite meetings.
GEORGIAN FM: ''WE WON'T WAIT FOR SOLUTION OF REGIONAL PROBLEMS TO PUT ENERGY PROJECTS INTO PRACTICE''
Georgian Foreign Minister Irakli Menagharishvili said on Monday that they would not wait for solution of regional problems to put energy projects into practice.
Speaking to reporters, Menagharishvili who attended the Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan summit meeting in Trabzon said that the three countries could cooperate in security of Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline project and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project which would transfer Azerbaijani oil to western markets but each country would be responsible of the security of the pipeline's part passing though its territories.
Noting that the tripartite summit meeting in Trabzon was very important in regard to development of bilateral relations, Menagharishvili said that the meeting created a good foundation for development of the Caucasus Corridor.
Regarding the relations between Turkey and Georgia, Menagharishvili said that the two countries had a very close cooperation, adding, ''our cooperation is quite balanced.''
Regarding the so-called Armenian genocide, Menagharishvili said that they should find a common way out for this issue.
Noting that the Kars-Akhaltsikhe railway project was economically very appropriate, Menagharishvili said that the project could not be concluded in time due to the economic crisis in Turkey.
When reminded of the opposition of Armenian community living in the Akhaltshike region to the project, Menagharishvili said that they would take Georgia's national interests into consideration in that project.
Menagharishvili added that separatist movements constituted the source of terrorism.
SEZER, SHEVARDNADZE AND ALIYEV AGREE TO INCREASE TRADE BETWEEN THREE COUNTRIES
After a meeting participated by all three presidents, Sezer held separate meetings with Aliyev and Shevardnadze. Aliyev and Shevardnadze also had a separate meeting.
It was reported that the presidents focused on regional matters and projects that concern three countries. They left international issue to Tuesday's meeting.
Both Aliyev and Shevardnadze expressed satisfaction with Turkey's initiatives in regional cooperation. Three presidents agreed that the bilateral trade volume of Turkey and Azerbaijan and Turkey and Georgia which is currently about 300 million USD should be at least doubled.
Abkhazia was discussed into detail in Sezer-Shevardnadze meeting. Sezer said that Turkey was closely monitoring the issue due to its kinsmen living there. He said that the conflict should be resolved through peaceful ways by preserving Georgia's territorial integrity. The Georgian side indicated that Turkey could host a meeting between two sides to resolve the Abkhazia problem when circumstances become more favorable, a proposal Turkey had made earlier.
Double taxation was another topic during Sezer-Shevardhadze meeting.
All three parties agreed to speed up a number of joint projects such as Kars-Tbilisi railroad, Cildir-Aktas border gate, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline and Sahdeniz Natural Gas Project.
During his meetings with both Shevardnadze and Aliyev, Sezer told the presidents that Turkey was very sensitive about terrorism and the terrorist activities of the PKK.
Diplomatic sources said that the presidents discussed the developments that took place after Sept. 11 attacks and focused on the importance of cooperation among countries. The same sources said the agreement which will be signed by the interior ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia on Tuesday was important to lay the legal foundation of this cooperation.
It was stated that Sezer was very satisfied with the outcome of this summit. The next Turkey-Azerbaijan-Georgia summit is expected to take place in Georgia.
After the meetings, Sezer hosted a dinner for the presidents of Azerbaijan and Georgia.