Cicek receives ministers and lawmakers from Balkan countries
YAYINLAMA
GÜNCELLEME
Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek yesterday expressed hope at a meeting held with ministers and lawmakers from Balkan countries that a parliamentary assembly is set up for the Balkans. Cicek said that Turkey has been following a policy in favor of peace and stability in the Balkans during the period of each ruling party, adding, "Our Parliament consists of friendship groups which make contributions to development of relations in another way. The regional parliaments started to be established worldwide. The Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-speaking Countries (TURKPA) is one of them. We hope that we will seize the opportunity of setting up a parliamentary assembly for the Balkans. Turkey is in favor of this. Such an organization would make great contributions to ensuring peace, stability and welfare in the Balkans." Speaking at a commemoration ceremony which was organized on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of death of Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, Cicek said that one of the bloodiest massacres of recent history had occurred in 1992 in Hocali, which was also joined by Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian. "The Armenian-Turkish relations could be normalized only on condition that invasion on Azerbaijani territory is ended" said Cicek.