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Turkish FM: Armenia should also take steps to normalize Turkish-Armenian relations

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 10 January 2011 11:55 (UTC +04:00)
Yerevan also should take steps to normalize the Turkish-Armenian relations, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told journalists on Sunday.
Turkish FM: Armenia should also take steps to normalize Turkish-Armenian relations

Yerevan also should take steps to normalize the Turkish-Armenian relations, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told journalists on Sunday.

"Turkey wants to normalize relations with Armenia, but of course, this desire should not be unilateral. Armenia should also take any steps in this direction," Turkish Zaman newspaper's website quoted Davutoglu.

According to him, the establishment of peace in the Caucasus is impossible without resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"It is necessary to bring peace to the Caucasus. It cannot be realized without the normalization of the Azerbaijani-Armenian and Armenian-Turkish relations," Davutoglu said.

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey were broken due to Armenian claims of an alleged genocide and its occupation of Azerbaijani lands. Their border closed in 1993.

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, comprising Russia, France, and the U.S., are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

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