Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar.2
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey will not open its border with Armenia until the latter withdraws from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, the Turkish newspaper Star reported Mar.2.
The president went on to add that the international community condemns the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia.
Speaking about the possibility of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Erdogan said that if Russia and the United States decide to, the issue of the conflict settlement will be resolved very quickly.
The diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed in 1993. The break in relations, as well as, the closing of borders between Turkey and Armenia in 1993 was due to Yerevan's claims over recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide in the world and Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani lands.
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.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu