Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 15
Trend:
Liberation of occupied Azerbaijani lands is a strategic goal for the Turkish government, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Monday during a speech in Parliament.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
According to Davutoglu, after the liberation of occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Turkey will also take steps to normalize relations between Ankara and Yerevan.
Turkish PM urges Armenia not be taken hostage to historical events, as well as not to reject offers Ankara to normalize bilateral relations.
The break in relations and closing of the Turkish-Armenian border in 1993 were due to Armenia's claims for recognition of the "Armenian genocide" in the world, as well as Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani lands.