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TURKISH MINISTER CALLS FOR SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Dec 11 2013
11 December 2013, 15:55 (GMT+04:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated the importance
of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the principle of
territorial integrity.
He made the remarks ahead of his upcoming visit to Armenia. Davutoglu
will visit Yerevan to attend the Foreign Ministers Council of the
Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) on December 12.
Davutoglu's visit to Yerevan will be the first since the failure of
efforts to normalize the ties between the two countries four years ago.
Prior to his visit, Davutoglu said the details of his visit's schedule
is not finalized yet, but Turkish media reported that he is expected
to hold bilateral talks with some of the foreign ministers of BSEC
member states.
Turkish official further said his country has always attached great
importance to the normalization of relations with Armenia.
Davutoglu reminded that Turkey has always stated that the normalization
of relations between Ankara and Yerevan will bring peace to the South
Caucasus only under the condition of improvement of relations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia and the settlement of regional conflicts with
the principle of territorial integrity of states.
He said Turkey has always embraced new ideas, initiatives and necessary
steps to establish peace in the South Caucasus.
Davutoglu said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, an unresolved dispute
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, is the major obstacle in South
Caucasus's path to stability and normalization.
He called for a "strong political will" to bring peace to South
Caucasus.
Armenian-Turkish relations have been strained by a number of
historical and political issues, including the allegations of Armenian
Genocide. Although currently there is no formal diplomatic relations
between the two states, it was announced on October 10, 2009 that
both countries had agreed to establish mutual diplomatic recognition.
However, the diplomatic efforts to normalize the relations have failed
so far because of the continuing Nagarno-Karabakh conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Turkish Government has repeatedly stated that Ankara's position
in regards to the Turkish-Armenian and Azerbaijani-Armenian relations
is clear and specific. Ankara says negotiations about normalization
of Turkish-Armenian relations are only possible after liberation of
the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early
1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed
forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions.
The UN Security Council's four resolutions on Armenian armed forces'
withdrawal have not been enforced to this day.
Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE
Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group's co-chairs, dubbed the Madrid Principles. The
negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Dec 11 2013
11 December 2013, 15:55 (GMT+04:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated the importance
of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the principle of
territorial integrity.
He made the remarks ahead of his upcoming visit to Armenia. Davutoglu
will visit Yerevan to attend the Foreign Ministers Council of the
Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) on December 12.
Davutoglu's visit to Yerevan will be the first since the failure of
efforts to normalize the ties between the two countries four years ago.
Prior to his visit, Davutoglu said the details of his visit's schedule
is not finalized yet, but Turkish media reported that he is expected
to hold bilateral talks with some of the foreign ministers of BSEC
member states.
Turkish official further said his country has always attached great
importance to the normalization of relations with Armenia.
Davutoglu reminded that Turkey has always stated that the normalization
of relations between Ankara and Yerevan will bring peace to the South
Caucasus only under the condition of improvement of relations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia and the settlement of regional conflicts with
the principle of territorial integrity of states.
He said Turkey has always embraced new ideas, initiatives and necessary
steps to establish peace in the South Caucasus.
Davutoglu said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, an unresolved dispute
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, is the major obstacle in South
Caucasus's path to stability and normalization.
He called for a "strong political will" to bring peace to South
Caucasus.
Armenian-Turkish relations have been strained by a number of
historical and political issues, including the allegations of Armenian
Genocide. Although currently there is no formal diplomatic relations
between the two states, it was announced on October 10, 2009 that
both countries had agreed to establish mutual diplomatic recognition.
However, the diplomatic efforts to normalize the relations have failed
so far because of the continuing Nagarno-Karabakh conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Turkish Government has repeatedly stated that Ankara's position
in regards to the Turkish-Armenian and Azerbaijani-Armenian relations
is clear and specific. Ankara says negotiations about normalization
of Turkish-Armenian relations are only possible after liberation of
the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early
1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed
forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions.
The UN Security Council's four resolutions on Armenian armed forces'
withdrawal have not been enforced to this day.
Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE
Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group's co-chairs, dubbed the Madrid Principles. The
negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress