Hurriyet: Erdogan leaves for Azerbaijan with a plan in exchange for opening of border with Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left for Azerbaijan on Tuesday to reassure its leaders that Turkey's efforts to reconcile with Armenia would not undermine Baku's interests.



The visit is aimed at "eradicating misunderstandings and misperceptions" over Turkey's policies, Erdogan told reporters before his departure, pledging that Azeri interests remained a priority for Ankara.



"Nobody should have the slightest doubt that Turkey will continue to defend Azerbaijan's interests as it has done so far," he said. "Our relations are strong and based on a culture of fraternity."



Erdogan, accompanied by several ministers, including Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Energy Minister Taner Yildiz is scheduled to meet with President Ilham Aliyev and address the Azeri parliament Wednesday.



Erdogan is expected to arrive with a proposal on "liberation" of five regions. If Baku accepts it, he will discuss it in Russia with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi Saturday.



The Ankara-Yerevan thaw has reportedly disturbed Azerbaijan. Some media reports have suggested that Azerbaijan, a supplier of oil and gas to Europe, might even halt the sale of natural gas to Turkey.



Russia, which has been mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh, is reportedly pushing for a summit between Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in June aimed at moving to formally end the conflict, Hurriyet reported.