Azerbaijan, Baku, May 4 / Trend A. Huseynbala /
Turkey's inclusion in the OSCE Minsk Group was proposed because there was the need, member of the political council of Azerbaijani ruling party said.
"Turkey has very important influence in the region. Co-chairmanship of this country in the OSCE Minsk Group is discussed periodically since the establishment of an institute of co-chairmen," political council member, deputy chairman of the Committee on Security and Defence of the Azerbaijani parliament Aydin Mirzazade told the website of New Azerbaijan Party.
He said that according to the procedural rules, a staff of co-chairmen must be coordinated with Azerbaijani and Armenian sides.
"Armenia's anti-Turkish position hampers the inclusion of a brotherly country in a staff of Co-Chairmen. But Turkey actively participates in the process though unofficially. It is impossible to exclude the Turkish factor in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem," MP said.
MP said that Turkey's position in connection with the conflict is the center of Azerbaijani society's attention. "Co-chairmanship was raised because of the need and desire for a rapid solving of the problem. But on the other hand, Turkey participates in this process, regardless of whether it is co-chairman or not. At the same time, the main aim is not only the co-chairmanship of Turkey, but also resolving of the conflict as a whole", deputy chairman of the committee said.
Azerbaijani society encourages the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen to show activity and objectively assess the seriousness of the problem. "Unfortunately, except for the last few years, more than 10 years co-chairmen have demonstrated formal operation. We wasted time. But the time has come to solve this problem. Co-chairmen must carry out their tasks. Armenia should be called on to respect international legal norms," member of political council said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.