TURKEY CONDEMNS ELECTION IN KARABAKH

Today's Zaman
May 21 2010
Turkey

Turkey has said it won't recognize the so-called "parliamentary
elections" in the Nagorno-Karabakh region on Sunday as the elections
are a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the
principles of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE).

A statement released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday said
there will be an election in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, contrary
to expectations and decisions made by the international community.

Armenia-backed separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh region set up a
"republic" following an armed conflict in the early 1990s between
Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory and regularly
hold elections, which are dubbed "illegitimate" by the international
community.

The statement said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the primary
roadblock to peace, stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus,
adding that it hinders relations and cooperation in the region. The
statement also mentions that the illegitimate elections constitute
an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions
and OSCE principles.

The statement said that during a period when there are intensive talks
to find a peaceful solution to the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict under
the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, it is obvious that holding
"parliamentary elections" in the Nagorno-Karabakh region is a move
that will negatively affect efforts for a peaceful solution.

As the Foreign Ministry condemns the event, which will violate the
political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
it will not recognize the illegitimate elections, which do not have
any binding nature under international law, the statement said.