The Russian-Turkish proximity will contribute in solution of the [Armenian-Azerbaijani] Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davudoglu told Turkish TV channel KANAL 7, Anadolu news agency said.
The Russian-Turkish proximity will undoubtedly contribute in the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict without any doubt, Davudoglu said.
During his visit to Turkey Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stated the serious and active work for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish news agency ANADOLU reported.
"Serious work is being done to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and there is serious progress in this direction. Moscow is eager to see rapid resolution of the conflict," Putin added.
The prime minister said that Russia's position on the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remained unchanged. "We cannot do the job of conflict sides, but only assist in the solution to the dispute," he added.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7 districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Recently Russia has taken positive steps for the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Davudoglu added.