Novruz Mamedov, Chief of the International Affairs Department, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, is shocked with some publications in Turkish mass media. The matter particularly concerns the article by Turkish Bugun daily. The articles reported that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev canceled his visit to Georgia and returned to Azerbaijan as soon as the information about the Protocols spread. In Baku he convened an urgent meeting.

According to the Turkish newspaper, Azeri Parliament members were urgently sent on an official trip to Turkey concerning Armenian-Turkish reconciliation issue. Without refuting the information, Mamedov only added that “the MPs’ visit was planned two months ago.”

Earlier the Russia-based REGNUM news agency, referring to a source in Azerbaijan’s presidential administration, reported that September 1, Aliyev called “an urgent meeting with the administration executives and Foreign Office representatives, including Minister Elmar Mammedov, as well as the heads of the National Security Ministry (MNS).” Armenian-Turkish relations were on the agenda. According to the source, the Azeri President instructed Minister Mamedyarov to intensify contacts with Turkish colleagues and ensure wide coverage of Azerbaijan’s position in Turkish mass media. Azerbaijani MNS was ordered to establish a dialogue with influential lobbyists for Azerbaijani interests in Turkey and study the opportunities of Azerbaijanis’ activities in Turkish provinces. The source does not rule out new actions of protest against the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border. Aliyev instructed taxation authorities to conduct inspections of business entities shared in by Turkish capital.

Official Baku refuted this information, charging the source with attempts to sow discord between Azerbaijan and Russia and deceive CIS public opinion.

It is most suspicious, Russian and Turkish resources are spreading this information, whereas, in a state of shock, Aliyev’s administration doing its best to refute it. Most likely, Aliyev did convene the meeting, as the opposite would not have been logical. However, a leak about sanctions against Turkish investors was not planned by Azerbaijani strategists.