Turkey eager to scrap visa regime with Azerbaijan

State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan has said Turkey expects and hopes to see an elimination of the visa protocol that Azerbaijan applies to Turkish visitors. Speaking to reprters yesterday to share his assessments of his official meetings in Azerbaijan, Caglayan said his conversation with the country’s President, Ilham Aliyev, on Wednesday took place in a very warm atmosphere and that they discussed many issues in detail. “I have expressed the problems Turkish businessmen in particular face when applying for a visa. I told him about our eliminating the need for visas with many countries and he responded by saying that he would analyze and study the issue. If everything goes well, it will be sorted out,” Caglayan said. He said both countries share common sensitivities on many international issues and that Turkey, more than any other country, supports Azerbaijan in its dispute with Armenia. Caglayan also said he conveyed to Aliyev Turkey’s special sympathy for Nakhchivan’s situation, adding that he plans to go on an official visit to the region with a delegation of businessmen, which will also be attended by Azerbaijani delegates. Aliyev was very pleased to hear this, he said.